(Crystal Proenza is associate editor of Real EstateFlorida.)

ATLANTA-Forrest Robinson has resigned as president of the industrial division at Cousins Properties Inc. to partner with development veteran Ray Weeks in the formation of Weeks Robinson Properties. The new development and investment company, along with financier Rex Fuqua, will focus on industrial and office properties in Atlanta and other growing Sunbelt cities as far west as Texas and down into Florida, Robinson tells GlobeSt.com. The company, which is headquartered on the seventh floor of the 100 Riverwood building in Atlanta, also plans to partner with retail and residential developers in the region.

Bob Currie, senior vice president of leasing for the industrial division, is also leaving Cousins to join Weeks Robinson. With the departure of Robinson and Currie, Cousins will begin to phase out its industrial dealings. To start, the company has sold 167 acres of land at two Atlanta-area industrial parks to Weeks Robinson for approximately $18.5 million. The transactions, including a 44-acre site at King Mill Distribution Park in Henry County, south of Atlanta, and three sites totaling 123 acres at Jefferson Mill Business Park, northeast of Atlanta, are set to close through next year.

Robinson spoke with GlobeSt.com about the company's upcoming plans for the newly acquired land. "I master-planned those sites with Cousins and will continue with that plan to develop up to 4.8 million sf of high quality distribution buildings," he says.