Southeast

New Orleans (also known as Crescent City, The Big Easy and NOLA) is unique in many ways. The cuisine, architecture and music all set the city apart, but for the real estate industry, the geography is most important. In fact, it’s uniqueness among the great Southern cities is that the Mississippi River, Lake Pontchartrain and the wetlands to the east and west have created a barrier to entry unlike any other multifamily market in the country. These factors have limited development to a select few urban sites and redevelopment of historic structures. Garden-style product has been primarily confined to St. Tammany Parish located north of Lake Pontchartrain. The parish has an abundance of land as well as the demographic profile to support new market-rate construction. The multifamily market in metro New Orleans is further strengthened by the positive economic growth the city has experienced. The local and regional economies continue to see growth in the following sectors: energy, advanced manufacturing, international trade, healthcare, education, bio-science, tourism and technology. One example is DXC Technology’s new Digital Transformation Center located in downtown New Orleans. This new employer will create 2,000 well-paying jobs and provide further stability to the downtown multifamily market. The …

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FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. — Newmark Knight Frank Multifamily (NKF) has arranged the sale of and acquisition financing for the Cottages on Hollywood, a 652-bed student housing community located near the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Construction on the property was completed this fall. Ryan Lang, Brandon Buell and Jack Brett of NKF represented the seller, Barrett Development Group, in the sale of the property to Inland for an undisclosed price. Joel Simmons, Matt Williams, James Maynard and Kyle Schlitt of NKF Multifamily Capital Markets Debt & Structured Finance arranged acquisition financing on behalf of the buyer. The community offers two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom units. Shared amenities include study lounges and private study spaces, a computer and printing station, coffee bar and vending market, two-story fitness center with resort-style locker rooms, sauna and steam rooms, tanning beds, two-story clubhouse, indoor and outdoor gaming lounge, resort-style swimming pool and cabana, hammock garden, water and sand volleyball, dog park, outdoor kitchens and grills, fire pit, putting green, an activity field with horse shoes and bocce ball and access to the Town Branch Walking Trail.

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ATLANTA — Coro Realty and Southeastern Capital Cos. are transforming the 118-year-old Excelsior Mill buildings in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward into 30,000 square feet of office space. The two companies purchased the building in 2016 when it was known as the music venue, The Masquerade. The partnership has teamed with designer Smith Dalia Architects to open the floor plan and add natural light. Much of the manufacturing equipment will remain in place, including an extensive heavy-duty gear and pulley system originally used at the property. Completion is slated for first quarter of 2020. The property is located across from Ponce City Market along the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail. Scott DeMeyer and Emily Richardson with Colliers International are leading the office leasing efforts.

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WALTON, KY. — Trez Forman Capital has provided a $38.8 million construction loan for two spec industrial buildings totaling 776,820 square feet in Walton, a city in northern Kentucky approximately 20 miles south of downtown Cincinnati. The borrower, SFG Walton KY LLC, is developing the buildings on a 55-acre site within Logistics Park 75, near the intersection of Interstates 75 and 71. The first building will span 544,320 square feet and feature two tenant bays of equal size. The second will span 232,500 square feet also with two bays of the same size. The space has the ability to be subdivided to accommodate a wide variety of tenants. Each structure features 36-foot clear ceiling heights and multiple dock-high doors. The lot is situated 15 miles from Amazon’s Prime Air Cargo Hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. A timeline for completion was not disclosed. Brett Forman and Russ Holland of Trez Forman Capital originated the loan on behalf of the borrower.

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LEXINGTON, S.C. — Publix Super Markets Inc. has opened a GreenWise Market store within Lexington Marketplace in Lexington. The new 20,400-square-foot grocery store is located at 5336 Sunset Blvd., 10 miles west of downtown Columbia. TSCG announced in April that Publix’s organic brand would be moving into the shopping center. This is second location for GreenWise in South Carolina. The 156,000-square-foot Lexington Marketplace is 94 percent leased to tenants including Hobby Lobby, Ulta Beauty, Brain Balance Achievement Centers, Fit Body Boot Camp, Smoothie King, MOD Pizza, Aiden Lane Boutique and Code Ninjas. Darrell Palasciano of TSCG represented the landlord and developer, Columbia Development, in the lease transaction.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. economy generated 266,000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate fell 10 basis points to 3.5 percent, matching a 50-year low, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported this morning. The latest figures breezed past expectations. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had forecast a gain of 187,000 new jobs in November and a 3.6 percent unemployment rate. What’s more, the change in total nonfarm payroll employment for September was revised upward by 13,000, and the change for October was revised upward by 28,000. With these revisions, employment gains in September and October combined were 41,000 more than previously reported.  The healthy job creation numbers show the resiliency of the U.S. economy in the face of a global slowdown, according to economists. Among the employment highlights for November: Manufacturing employment rose by 54,000, following a decline of 43,000 in the prior month. Within manufacturing, employment in motor vehicles and parts was up by 41,000 in November, reflecting the return of workers who were on strike in October. The healthcare sector added 45,000 jobs, including gains in ambulatory health care services (+34,000) as well as hospitals (+10,000). Employers in healthcare have added 414,000 jobs over …

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BUFORD, GA. — Atlanta-based Ackerman & Co. has brokered the sale of 65 acres across Interstate 85 from the Mall of Georgia in Buford, approximately 30 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. The Orkin family, of Orkin pest control, sold the parcel to Atlanta-based Fuqua Development for $18 million. The space will accommodate Phase I of Fuqua’s The Exchange at Gwinnett, a $320 million mixed-used development that will feature office space, a hotel, apartments and 500,000 square feet of retail space, including a food hall, “fashion hall,” and a Cinebistro movie theater, according to local media reports. Ackerman & Co.’s John Speros and Larry Wood brokered the sale of the property, located at the intersection of I-85 and Georgia Highway 20. Wood and Speros also represented Rooms To Go in the acquisition of a 4.5-acre site within the development for construction of a 52,000-square-foot store to replace its 24,000-square-foot store fronting the Mall of Georgia.

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BURLINGTON, N.C. — The Morgan Cos. has purchased a former Sears department store at 309 Huffman Mill Road within Holly Hill Mall. Morgan Cos. intends to develop the 9.6-acre site into a shopping center anchored by a 48,387-square-foot Publix grocery store and 13,400 square feet of inline retail space. Prego’s Trattoria restaurant, located on an outparcel, is also part of the purchased property. Morgan Cos. will also develop the former Sears Auto Center outparcel next to Prego’s into a multi-tenant retail building as part of the project. Morgan Cos. plans to begin demolition of the Sears building next year and expects the new shopping center to be completed in 2021. Morgan Cos. currently owns a second Triad Publix and developed and owns Peace Haven Village shopping center in Clemmons, N.C.. Morgan Cos. is currently developing another Publix-anchored shopping center in Clayton, N.C. that is expected to open in 2021.

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TUSCALOOSA, ALA. — Capstone Real Estate Investments (CREI) has acquired Parker 301, a student housing community located near the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The community has been rebranded The Preserve at Tuscaloosa and is set to undergo substantial renovations and repositioning within the market. Renovations will include updates to all units and the addition of one- and two-bedroom floor plans; updates to the community’s clubhouse; an expansion of the property’s business center to include private study rooms; the addition of a new dog park; and a refresh of the swimming pool area. A timeline for renovations and terms of the acquisition were undisclosed.

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RANSON, W.VA. — Heidenberg Properties Group and Strategic Real Estate Partners have opened the 22,000-square-foot Marshalls at The Potomac Marketplace in Ranson. In March, the two companies announced they reached a leasing agreement with The TJX Cos., the parent company of Marshalls, and would need to immediately expand the center between Kohl’s and Petco. The center now spans 379,000 square feet following the expansion. Marshalls joins other retail tenants such as AT&T, Weis Markets, Kohl’s, Petco and The Home Depot.

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