ATL exurban project; Medley’s leasing win; Interlock books; more!

…

WHITE—Exurban growth in the Interstate 75 corridor between Atlanta and Chattanooga continues.

Winter Park, Fla.-based multifamily developer Hillpointe has cut the ribbon on a 312-unit, garden-style project called “Pointe Grand Cassville,” at 1411 Cassville White Road in White, Georgia, near Cartersville. It marks the third project in Georgia for Hillpointe, whose leadership says it’s focused on “building attainable housing in growing markets where it is needed most.”

Developers consider Pointe Grand Cassville’s location a gateway to the North Georgia Mountains—nearby hiking destinations include Hamilton Crossing Park, Dellinger Park, and Red Top Mountain State Park—with quick access to charming downtown Cartersville, I-75, and U.S. Highway 411. 

All of the project’s apartments are two-bedroom, two-bathroom units with 1,170 square feet. Rents start at $1,395 monthly. 

Pointe Grand Cassville offers spacious two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment homes spanning 1,170 square feet. Onsite perks include pickleball courts, a “resort-style” pool with cabanas, a clubhouse with coffee and tea bar, a pet spa and dog park, a 24-hour gym, and a business center, per the development team. 

“Northwest Georgia is growing, and attainable housing must keep pace,” Steven Campisi, Hillpointe’s managing partner and cofounder, said in an announcement. “[This project] adds newly built homes to Atlanta’s suburban and exurban markets, where growth is driving demand.” 

…

JOHNS CREEK—Up in North Fulton County, the long-anticipated grand opening of made-from-scratch, live-work-play destination Medley is now in the books, and according to project leaders Toro Development Company, it includes the first speculative office project to arrive fully leased in metro Atlanta in more than a decade. 

Office signings at Medley’s first phase include Boehringer Ingelheim (73,000 square feet), which has opened its U.S. Animal Health headquarters at Medley and in August moved in 500 employees. Elsewhere, software platform Brightree (17,751 square feet) has leased space for its clinical, billing, and business operations for the healthcare industry. The remaining space at Medley’s initial office offering has been claimed by a company that has yet to be formally announced. 

Toro Development Company officials say Medley’s office leasing up to 100 percent during construction—even as North Fulton Class-A vacancy sits near 31 percent today—reflects a desire for companies to be located in walkable areas with the right mix of amenities and vibes. 

According to the developer, the last spec building in the metro to open at 100 percent leased was Avalon’s 228,893-square-foot 8000 Avalon Boulevard a dozen years ago. 

“'Flight to quality' was one of the prevailing post-Covid office narratives—and yet, we saw trophy towers with luxury amenities in top office markets open unoccupied,” Mark Toro, company founder and chief vision officer, said in a statement. “This tells us location and quality aren't the only things that matter. Energy is the real difference maker in creating a commute-worthy workplace experience. We wish we had built more office at Medley given the demand.”

Spread across 43 acres, Medley is expected to cost $560 million and generate $6.2 million in annual sales tax revenue for the city. Project officials say 1,000 jobs have been created so far. 

Here's a directory showing what’s open at the new Johns Creek village—25 restaurants and retailers to date—and where to find it. To make way for Medley, some 350,000 square feet of vacant suburban office space was razed. 

…

WEST MIDTOWN—Like Krog Street Market and Westside Provisions District before it, The Interlock Atlanta is now home to a book vending machine—sorry, “self-service book boutique”—that aims to enlighten people to new stories and boost a local small business. 

Atlanta-based The Reading Route, billed as an experiential reading brand that embraces “analog joy,” recently opened its first Neighborhood Shelf at the buzzy West Midtown mixed-use district to inspire the feeling of a school’s book fair for adults. 

Find it in the lobby of Interlock’s concierge desk, with a collection of 19 different titles at any given time. Other aspects of the business include a “digital neighborhood” with a listening room and community board. 

“The idea,” writes The Reading Route founder Kyra Mitchell Lewis via email, “grew from my love of books and the excitement of discovering something new at a school book fair.” 

...

AVONDALE ESTATES—Atlanta’s housing crunch and disappearing affordability is no laughing matter—or is it? 

Attainable housing nonprofit MicroLife Institute has teamed with the Atlanta Regional Commission to ask that question by way of a comedy variety show called “Housing is Hilarious” this week. It’s scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Little Tree Art studios in Avondale Estates. 

The show is aiming to be an accessible means for comedians, housing advocates, community leaders, and everyday residents to come together and face one of the most pressing issues of our time—with maybe some gut-splitting laughs to boot. 

“Between rising costs, zoning hurdles, and the sheer persistence it takes to get homes built, those of us working in housing have plenty of material,” said Will Johnston, founder and executive director of MicroLife Institute. “Housing is serious work, but people connect through laughter.”

Ticketing info is here. Proceeds will support the MicroLife Institute. And here’s the promo: