More than 12,000 apartments remain on track for delivery this year, up from 10,800 units in 2016. (Source: Marcus & Millichap)

NEWS & NOTABLES

MEMPHIS—Dotloop announced the winners of its first “Dotloop Top 10: Most Tech-Forward Agents” list. The list highlights agents who are leading their peers in using digital and mobile tools to more effectively and efficiently get real estate deals done. The 2017 winners include several Southeast players: Emmy Martin Sorrells, Three Sixty Real Estate (Alabama); Randy Lawyer, EXIT Real Estate Solutions (Tennessee); and Ryan Rutman, RE/MAX Professional Realty Group (Kentucky).

CHAMBLEE, GA—Developed by S.J. Collins Enterprises, the Whole Foods Market at Peachtree Crossing has achieved a Green Globes rating by the Green Building Initiative. The team, including Phillips Architects + Engineers, practiced an integrated design process that took measures to reduce the ecological impacts, including the use of efficient irrigation strategies. Local species of trees, shrubs and other drought-tolerant plants were introduced to conserve water consumption, and green walls were installed to keep the exterior walls at an optimum temperature. The 45,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market anchors the shopping center, located at 5001 Peachtree Boulevard, at the intersection of Peachtree Boulevard and Peachtree Road. Ranging from high-quality stores, service businesses and restaurants, Peachtree Station includes 25 other mixed-use occupants. The retail hub is slated to open in summer 2017.

BATON ROUGE, LA—LSU's Transformational Technology and Cyber Research Center has attracted nearly $5 million in strategic research projects to enhance security for military, electric grid, homeland security and other applications, with state leaders anticipating a significant increase in future research investments from federal and private sources. Conceived in 2014, TTCRC fuses the research capacity of LSU with state funding support to create a technology powerhouse focused on a primary goal: cybersecurity. Current research ranges from missile defense security, to protecting the electric grid from cyberattacks, to comprehensive visualization software for protecting US borders and the ring of Caribbean Sea nations.

DEAL TRACKER

FAIRBURN, GA—Robbins Electra announced its third Atlanta-area multifamily acquisition in 2017: Oakley Park, a 240-unit multifamily community located in Fairburn. It will be renovated and rebranded as The Parke at Oakley. During the first quarter of 2017, Robbins Electra acquired two other Atlanta-area multifamily properties, Marbella Place in Stockbridge and Bella Vista in Lithonia. It has plans to acquire two more multifamily communities in the Atlanta metro area in the months ahead, bringing Atlanta holdings to over 2,500 apartments. Robbins Electra's national portfolio consists of over 23,000 apartments totaling over $2.5 billion in value.

NASHVILLE—GBT Realty Corporation announced the initial tenant line-up for Nashville's newest mixed-use development. With construction almost complete, Village 21 at Regions Park (Village 21) features more than 22,000 square feet of commercial space including a Regions banking facility, and 101 class A apartments. The commercial space at the $45 million development is currently 95% leased while residential leasing has seen a strong demand, according to the company.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY—America First Multifamily Investors sold Northern View, a student housing project, held in its MF Property portfolio, located in Highland Heights, KY for approximately $13.8 million. ATAX will realize a gain of approximately $3.2 million, before direct and indirect expenses to be recognized, in the first quarter 2017. The partnership acquired Northern View in June 2007, as a 118-unit affordable housing multifamily project.

BIRMINGHAM—Cushman & Wakefield's Birmingham multifamily team has arranged the $9.35 million sale of Fix Play Lofts and Goodall-Brown Lofts, located in Birmingham's Central Business District. Jimmy Adams of Cushman & Wakefield represented the sellers, affiliates of Sloss Real Estate, in the transaction. Highland acquired the properties. Collectively, the two properties total 59 units and 20,577 square feet of ground-floor retail.

LEXINGTON—Condor Hospitality Trust closed on the acquisition of three Home2 Suites for $54,75 million. The three hotels include the Home2 Suites Austin/Round Rock (Texas), the Home2 Suites Lexington University/Medical Center (Kentucky), and the Home2 Suites Tallahassee State Capitol (Florida). The hotels will continue to be managed by the seller, Vista Host, which was represented in the transaction by Hodges Ward Elliott. The company announced that it had placed four Home2 Suites under contract in January 2017. The fourth hotel in the portfolio, the Home2 Suites Memphis/Southaven, remains under contract and is expected to close in the second quarter, subject to customary closing conditions including the completion of the assumption process for the existing securitized loan on the property.

ATLANTA—Here's a look at the trends, announcements and deals you may have missed this week in the Southeast.

This week in the Southeast, smaller markets are getting in on the commercial real estate action. And a new ranking demonstrates how important technology is becoming as a competitive differentiator among brokers.

BY THE NUMBERS

Atlanta employers will create 68,000 positions in 2017, extending gains recorded over the past six years. Last year, approximately 79,000 jobs were added. (Source: Marcus & Millichap)

More than 12,000 apartments remain on track for delivery this year, up from 10,800 units in 2016. (Source: Marcus & Millichap)

NEWS & NOTABLES

MEMPHIS—Dotloop announced the winners of its first “Dotloop Top 10: Most Tech-Forward Agents” list. The list highlights agents who are leading their peers in using digital and mobile tools to more effectively and efficiently get real estate deals done. The 2017 winners include several Southeast players: Emmy Martin Sorrells, Three Sixty Real Estate (Alabama); Randy Lawyer, EXIT Real Estate Solutions (Tennessee); and Ryan Rutman, RE/MAX Professional Realty Group (Kentucky).

CHAMBLEE, GA—Developed by S.J. Collins Enterprises, the Whole Foods Market at Peachtree Crossing has achieved a Green Globes rating by the Green Building Initiative. The team, including Phillips Architects + Engineers, practiced an integrated design process that took measures to reduce the ecological impacts, including the use of efficient irrigation strategies. Local species of trees, shrubs and other drought-tolerant plants were introduced to conserve water consumption, and green walls were installed to keep the exterior walls at an optimum temperature. The 45,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market anchors the shopping center, located at 5001 Peachtree Boulevard, at the intersection of Peachtree Boulevard and Peachtree Road. Ranging from high-quality stores, service businesses and restaurants, Peachtree Station includes 25 other mixed-use occupants. The retail hub is slated to open in summer 2017.

BATON ROUGE, LA—LSU's Transformational Technology and Cyber Research Center has attracted nearly $5 million in strategic research projects to enhance security for military, electric grid, homeland security and other applications, with state leaders anticipating a significant increase in future research investments from federal and private sources. Conceived in 2014, TTCRC fuses the research capacity of LSU with state funding support to create a technology powerhouse focused on a primary goal: cybersecurity. Current research ranges from missile defense security, to protecting the electric grid from cyberattacks, to comprehensive visualization software for protecting US borders and the ring of Caribbean Sea nations.

DEAL TRACKER

FAIRBURN, GA—Robbins Electra announced its third Atlanta-area multifamily acquisition in 2017: Oakley Park, a 240-unit multifamily community located in Fairburn. It will be renovated and rebranded as The Parke at Oakley. During the first quarter of 2017, Robbins Electra acquired two other Atlanta-area multifamily properties, Marbella Place in Stockbridge and Bella Vista in Lithonia. It has plans to acquire two more multifamily communities in the Atlanta metro area in the months ahead, bringing Atlanta holdings to over 2,500 apartments. Robbins Electra's national portfolio consists of over 23,000 apartments totaling over $2.5 billion in value.

NASHVILLE—GBT Realty Corporation announced the initial tenant line-up for Nashville's newest mixed-use development. With construction almost complete, Village 21 at Regions Park (Village 21) features more than 22,000 square feet of commercial space including a Regions banking facility, and 101 class A apartments. The commercial space at the $45 million development is currently 95% leased while residential leasing has seen a strong demand, according to the company.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY—America First Multifamily Investors sold Northern View, a student housing project, held in its MF Property portfolio, located in Highland Heights, KY for approximately $13.8 million. ATAX will realize a gain of approximately $3.2 million, before direct and indirect expenses to be recognized, in the first quarter 2017. The partnership acquired Northern View in June 2007, as a 118-unit affordable housing multifamily project.

BIRMINGHAM—Cushman & Wakefield's Birmingham multifamily team has arranged the $9.35 million sale of Fix Play Lofts and Goodall-Brown Lofts, located in Birmingham's Central Business District. Jimmy Adams of Cushman & Wakefield represented the sellers, affiliates of Sloss Real Estate, in the transaction. Highland acquired the properties. Collectively, the two properties total 59 units and 20,577 square feet of ground-floor retail.

LEXINGTON—Condor Hospitality Trust closed on the acquisition of three Home2 Suites for $54,75 million. The three hotels include the Home2 Suites Austin/Round Rock (Texas), the Home2 Suites Lexington University/Medical Center (Kentucky), and the Home2 Suites Tallahassee State Capitol (Florida). The hotels will continue to be managed by the seller, Vista Host, which was represented in the transaction by Hodges Ward Elliott. The company announced that it had placed four Home2 Suites under contract in January 2017. The fourth hotel in the portfolio, the Home2 Suites Memphis/Southaven, remains under contract and is expected to close in the second quarter, subject to customary closing conditions including the completion of the assumption process for the existing securitized loan on the property.