Buchanan Street Partners, a real estate investment bank which also has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, DC, is opening its sixth office in Atlanta for several reasons, McCarthy says. The region has "economic growth, population growth, and job growth--all the drivers of strong real estate trends are evident in the southeast," he says.

The firm will be focusing on investments in retail, office, industrial and multifamily developments. Buchanan will initially focus on the areas of Atlanta, Charlotte, NC and both central and southern Florida. "They fit our criteria for major metropolitan areas that have diversified economics and growing populations, increasing job growth and the fundamental elements which make for a strong real estate market," he says.

The firm will be investing in joint ventures with "strong regional or local operator developers," McCarthy says. Buchanan will be investing in projects that have a value between $25 million and $200 million with the amount of equity invested ranging from $10 million and $50 million per investment, McCarthy tells GlobeSt.com. The office has just opened and the "are just at the early stages" of establishing relationships and brand awareness, he says.