CHARLESTON, S.C. — Highland Resources Inc. has broken ground on Magnolia Landing, a planned mixed-use community located along the Ashley River in Charleston. Spanning 192 acres, the project will offer a blend of parks, residences, hospitality options, offices, shops, restaurants, waterfront docks, a marina and entertainment options. Full build-out of the multi-phase project is anticipated by 2040. The first residents are expected to take occupancy in 2027. Plans for the first phase include a high-rise waterfront residential community and a mid-rise property both developed by Charleston-based Woodfield Development, offering a total of 600 rental residences, including affordable housing. The first phase will also feature 158 luxury townhomes developed by an undisclosed national developer. Plans also call for multiple office and retail buildings. The first phase will include a waterfront, Class A office building totaling 100,000 square feet in addition to 75,000 square feet of street-level retail, gourmet restaurants and commercial space. Magnolia Landing will also offer a range of hospitality options designed to cater to both short-term visitors and extended stays. The first phase will include a 125-room boutique hotel. The project will incorporate a marina featuring day-dock options, four waterfront restaurants with direct day-dock access, a boat club, monthly …
Southeast
RALEIGH, N.C. — Highwoods Properties Inc. has agreed to purchase Advance Auto Parts Tower, a 20-story office building located in Raleigh’s North Hills district. The seller and sales price were not disclosed, but Triangle Business Journal reported that the 346,000-square-foot property was sold by Lionstone Investments, which delivered the tower in 2020 along with current property manager Kane Realty Corp. The deal is expected to close in the next 30 days, and Highwoods has contributed $20 million in earnest money deposits in advance of the closing. Advance Auto Parts Tower was fully leased as of year-end 2024, with retailer Advance Auto Parts anchoring the office building. The office tower is situated adjacent to Highwoods’ 16-story CAPTRUST Tower.
Rockefeller, T2 Capital Begin Leasing 332-Unit Multifamily Property in Downtown Huntsville
by John Nelson
HUNTSVILLE, ALA. — Rockefeller Group and T2 Capital Management have begun leasing Vista at Councill Square, a 332-unit apartment development in downtown Huntsville. Designed by Matheny Goldmon Architecture + Interiors and OKW Architects, the six-story property will feature a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, including a few two-level townhomes. Monthly rental rates at Vista at Councill Square will begin at $1,403. Amenities will include two dedicated coworking spaces on the first and sixth floors, a fitness center with a yoga and meditation room, hospitality unit available for residents’ guests to rent nightly, EV charging stations in the garage, a game room and lounge, bike storage, pet spa and a rooftop pool deck.
LILBURN, GA. — Locally based multifamily development and management firm RangeWater Real Estate has partnered with the City of Lilburn and Dallas-based The Meridian Group to develop a 269-unit apartment community in Lilburn, a northeast suburb of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. RangeWater acquired the four-acre site at 45 Railroad Ave. in Old Town Lilburn near Lilburn City Park. RangeWater and its partners worked closely with the Downtown Development Authority on the project, which will include a public-private parking garage. The unnamed property will offer studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, spanning in size from 537 to 1,578 square feet. Amenities will include a boutique gym and wellness facility, coworking space, dog spa, resident bar, lounge with vaulted ceilings, swimming pool, outdoor grills, gardens for resident al-fresco dining, a public/private amphitheater-style courtyard and a trailhead for Camp Creek Greenway Trail. The development team plans to break ground this spring and wrap up construction in late 2026.
Stratus Development Breaks Ground on Student Housing Community Near University of South Carolina
by John Nelson
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Stratus Development Group has broken ground on Pickens Corner, a 60-bed student housing development located at 480 S. Pickens St. near the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia. Located in the city’s Rosewood neighborhood, Pickens Corner will offer townhomes featuring three bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. Completion on the project is scheduled for August 2025.
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. — Swinerton has begun the $4.5 million renovation of a T-Mobile call center in Chattanooga. The facility houses desks and offices for 936 T-Mobile employees and will remain open during construction. The overhaul of the 13,161-square-foot facility is expected to last about six months. Kansas City-based Perspective Architecture + Design is overseeing the design of the renovation, which will include upgrading the security desk and surrounding area with new doors, millwork, flooring and ceiling; transforming underutilized space into a mother’s room, wellness room and additional restroom; adding two restrooms and upgrading an existing restroom for all-gender use; installing audio/visual equipment and a security system featuring video monitoring; upgrading the lobby with new front doors, lighting, ceiling, furniture and branding elements; improving the cafeteria and kitchen by expanding the back-of-house, upgrading finishes and installing new culinary and ventilation equipment; adding new furniture, grills, fans and lounge area to the outdoor patio; and installing two parking lot EV chargers.
MANASSAS, VA. — Penzance has acquired Gateway & Linden, a six-building industrial portfolio totaling 212,086 square feet in Manassas, for $55 million. The transaction includes two industrial flex parks, Gateway Centre and Linden Business Center, where Penzance plans to lease current and upcoming vacancies up to 33,000 square feet. Additionally, office suites will be converted for industrial use by raising dropped ceilings and adding dock doors. Built in 1988, Gateway Centre is located at 7201-7401 Gateway Court and totals 102,277 square feet. Linden Business Center, built in 2001, is situated at 7245-7795 Coppermine Drive and totals 109,809 square feet. JLL’s Metro D.C. industrial team will lead leasing efforts for the property and Penzance’s in-house property management team will oversee operations. Bill Putting, Craig Childs and Chris Dale of JLL’s Mid-Atlantic Capital Markets team served as the advisors for the transaction.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Denver-based BMC Investments has acquired The Finley, a 312-unit apartment community located at 9541 103rd St. in west Jacksonville. The sales price was not disclosed, but the Jacksonville Daily Record reports the property traded for $37 million. The three-story property — which was 95 percent occupied at the time of sale — features one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 775 square feet to 1,305 square feet, according to Apartments.com. Amenities at the property include a swimming pool, fitness center, clubhouse, car wash area, package services and walking trails. BMC plans to renovate a quarter of The Finley’s units with new flooring and cabinets. This deal marks BMC’s first acquisition in the state of Florida. Erik Bjornson and Tyler Nilsson of Institutional Property Advisors (IPA) brokered the sale.
Ziff Real Estate Acquires Promenade at Northwoods Retail Center in North Charleston for $30.8M
by John Nelson
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — South Carolina-based Ziff Real Estate Partners (ZRP) has acquired Promenade at Northwoods, a 253,308-square-foot retail center in North Charleston, for $30.8 million. The seller and sales price were not disclosed, but The Post and Courier reports the seller was an affiliate of Charlotte-based Big V Property Group. Situated on 7800 Rivers Ave. across from Northwoods Mall, the property is anchored by Hobby Lobby and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet. Christian Chamblee, Brooke Frey and Paige Tompkins led the ZRP deal team in the transaction. This acquisition brings ZRP’s metro Charleston portfolio to 640,000 square feet across six properties.
Swinerton Awarded $23M Contract for Construction Projects at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
by John Nelson
ATLANTA — Swinerton has obtained a $23 million contract for construction at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on behalf of a partnership between the City of Atlanta and WEBMyers Construction. Swinerton will complete three projects at the airport. The first project — which is expected to be completed by the end of the year — will include the $21 million renovation of six pairs of restroom facilities located in the North Terminal and Concourses T, C and F, as well as several family restrooms. The second project, designed by Atlanta-based Brink Design, will include a $1 million renovation of the airport’s Security Badging Office, which is slated for completion in early spring. The space will nearly double in size and feature 15 desk-style, seated stations with data ports, card printers and fingerprinting machines. The final project, a $1.2 million expansion of all TSA breakrooms, will total 42,000 square feet of space and comprise 13 breakrooms upon completion in July. These projects follow the recently completed $600,000 renovation of the Department of Aviation Finance Office at Hartsfield-Jackson by Swinerton and WEBMyers.