Portman Holdings, which handles leasing and management at the adjacent SunTrust Tower office building Downtown, needed expansion space because the 60-story, 1.2-million-sf building is nearly full, says Brannan Moss, senior vice president of tenant representation with Jones Lang LaSalle in Atlanta. The primary tenant sought to reduce overhead costs and maximize its efficiency, so the deal works out well for both parties, he says.

Although many companies are putting space back on the market due to downsizing or office closings, Moss says it creates opportunities for other firms to move into improved space at economical rents and shorter leasing terms. "A lot of the sublease inventory will fill up faster than direct-lease space," he tells GlobeSt.com.

In this particular case, he says Portman Holdings is able to take advantage of the technology infrastructure put in place by Website Pros, which offers Internet design and programming services. Moss says Portman Holdings assumed a five-year lease term with a direct-lease renewal option, but could not disclose additional details of the transaction.