ATLANTA—Following the announcement of The Johnson Studio joining forces with Copper Carry, the Atlanta-based firm announced that it opened 37 projects, or 4.3 million square feet, in seven states in 2015 with an additional 51 new projects awarded.

Looking ahead to 2016, Kevin Cantley, president and CEO of Copper Carry, predicts new design demand for office buildings and dual-branded hotels. Referencing Urban Land Institute's (ULI) emerging trends, Cantley, who is chair of ULI Atlanta, also anticipates secondary markets such as Austin, TX; Portland, OR; Nashville; and Charlotte, NC to attract investments across all sectors as Millennials continue to seek urban, walkable communities.

"In 2016, we expect to see growth in the development of office buildings in cities such as Atlanta where there's only one major multi-tenant office project under construction," said Cantley. "We also expect to see increased demand in dual-branded hotels in high-barrier to entry markets where land prices continue to rise. Happily, we're at the forefront of the dual-branded trend with projects such as the AC Hotel by Marriott/Moxy hotel in Midtown Atlanta in the pipeline."