GSU CRE Course: Guest Speakers for the Win!
A female student reading in a classroom setting.

GSU CRE Course: Guest Speakers for the Win!

1 year ago 0 0 542

GSU believes in using CRE professionals to teach many of their commercial real estate courses as the school sees the value of the professionals’ work background and experience.

Office Building, Complexity of Leases and LOIs

Taking a Hard Look at Lease Terms

2 years ago 0 0 827

Landlords are being forced to take a hard look at standard lease terms, spurring a necessary complexity to today’s LOIs and leases.

Gwinnett Place Mall Interior

Can Struggling Atlanta Malls Be Reimagined?

2 years ago 0 0 1186

Are suburban malls like Atlanta’s Gwinnett Place Mall, Greenbriar Mall and North Point Mall a big problem or a big opportunity? Can these malls be transformed? Only time will tell.

The re-imagining of US Malls

What Are Malls to Do?

2 years ago 0 1 1038

Malls represent one of the real estate industry’s biggest challenges. But they also represent a great opportunity.

CRE Outlook for 2020: What to Expect

CRE 2020: What to Expect

4 years ago 0 0 1202

A recent NREI slideshow “Breaking Down CBRE’s 2020 Market Outlook” reviewed economic development, tax rate cuts, CRE investment, cap rates and market trends, among other topics, when considering what’s in store for 2020. In general, I agree with CBRE’s assessment that a slowdown in absorption will occur in all sectors as supply continues to grow. We are gradually moving to the confluence of oversupply and slow down. When that becomes problematic and to what extent it creates opportunities or problems is hard to predict. I started thinking about this a few months back in “Development Market Phase: How Long Will It Last?” As expected, the impact on individual sectors will be uneven. In my opinion, retail faces the greatest degree of uncertainty due to online shopping and shifting consumer buying habits. I can’t believe that the multi-family sector doesn’t have significant overhang already, and office will be negatively impacted by the WeWork pullback.

City Centers Create Sense of Community

4 years ago 0 0 1190

Atlanta’s edge cities are developing City Centers to create a sense of community, and it’s working. Since the holiday season is in full swing, it feels appropriate to continue the discussion about community I started in my last blog “The Importance of Community Engagement.” I suggested that leaning into our communities through service and events helps us feel more engaged. But I don’t believe that just happens. It is the addition of City Centers—intentional placemaking at its finest—that elevates the community’s sense of belonging. City Centers Help You Belong In a time when negativity, divisiveness and complaining feel ubiquitous, encouraging a sense of community offers people a positive feeling. While “sense of community” itself is difficult to quantify, it is absolutely a constructive and powerful force for a community’s overall health. Prime Example: Downtown Alpharetta The re-imagining of downtown Alpharetta is just one example of a city determined to craft

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The WeWork model looks weak. What is the SoftBank Group to do?

WeWork Weak? Looks That Way

4 years ago 0 0 1202

A recent BisNow article looks at the impending takeover deal between SoftBank Group and The We Company, which values WeWork’s parent company between $7.5B and $8.5B. Here’s what I think: SoftBank is throwing good money away, but the company probably has zero choice if it wants to salvage any of its existing investment. I cannot believe SoftBank paid former CEO Adam Neumann that much money to step down; there must have been a reason. (The article states, “To take control over The We Company, SoftBank will buy $1B in stock from Neumann, pay him a $185M consulting fee and extend him $500M in credit to repay a loan led by JPMorgan.”) As I’ve considered in previous blogs, the WeWork model looks weak. The office market is probably peaked and likely will flatten at a time when WeWork has made its maximum space commitment to date. Also, no barriers exist for

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Community Engagement Makes Communities Stronger, like the Food That Rocks event at City Springs in Sandy Springs

The Importance of Community Engagement

4 years ago 0 1 1268

Community Engagement Makes Lives Better Community is defined as a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. But I think it goes beyond that. Whether denoting a physical or religious connection or a bond through common interests, community engagement makes our lives better. Three years ago, in the blog “Atlanta’s Edge Cities Develop New City Centers,” I focused on the development of City Centers and their impacts. In subsequent blogs, I consider how these initiatives impact communities beyond just their physical existence. When you engage in actions or organizations that support the community in which you live, you improve the quality of life in that community. When you connect with people face-to-face in real time, you grow the fabric of your community. Community Engagement = Stronger Community Community Assistance Center As a Sandy Springs resident, I offer the Community Assistance Center (CAC)

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Atlanta Hosts Super Bowl LIII Like A Champ

Atlanta’s Super Bowl Gets a Gold Star

5 years ago 0 0 1369

I had never before been to a Super Bowl. And it wasn’t until I walked through the gates on Feb 3rd that I truly believed I was going to the game. I had planned an evening of whiskey, cheese and football on my couch when offered an out-of-the-blue invite from a friend. But when I learned how he secured his tickets, I was skeptical, but darn if we didn’t go. So Much Happening Anyone who watched the game on TV and thought it was boring was (obviously) just not there—so much happened in the stadium. There were no idle breaks on the field; huge TV screens showed commercials and previews and featured NFL stars and awards. Concerts and pyrotechnics constantly entertained. The Peach Bowl I recently attended was a game. This Super Bowl was an experience. Super Bowl: The Experience The actual game is only part of the entertainment package.

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Sandy Springs' Growth Includes City Springs, the New Town Center

Sandy Springs’ Growth: Merry and Bright?

5 years ago 0 0 1589

December can be a dark month, but its saving grace is the festive holiday lights. Everything is lit up and alive with energy. And as a long-time resident of Sandy Springs, I can honestly say Sandy Springs is really lighting up as well. I started talking about Sandy Springs’ growth two years ago in my blog “Atlanta’s Edge Cities Develop New City Centers.” Then, City Springs was in development. Now, it’s the city’s civic and cultural heartbeat. Efforts to revitalize retail and affordable housing are occurring in the city’s North End, as companies locate HQ’s to the area. Although Sandy Springs’ growth presents some challenges, it’s happening in a big, bright way. City Springs: A New Town Center It’s important to have a town center, and Sandy Springs has built one. At City Springs, City Hall is the anchor to a walkable, livable downtown with theaters, restaurants, retail, apartments and

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