The 87,000-square-foot shopping center will open along Hank Aaron Drive, within the 80-acre Summerhill project south of Downtown
Branch Properties today announces the planned acquisition of 4.4 acres to co-develop a Publix Supermarket-anchored shopping center in Summerhill on Atlanta’s Southside. The 87,000-square-foot essential retail development is slated for delivery in the fall of 2022. Branch is purchasing the property from Carter, who is redeveloping the surrounding 19-block area into a bustling hub for retail, dining, housing and office, alongside Georgia State University’s athletic facilities.
Located along Hank Aaron Drive across from the newly constructed 565 Hank apartments, the project will provide the Summerhill neighborhood with a much-needed grocery store and additional service-oriented retailers. The center will feature a two-level parking deck, allowing for direct access to both levels of the retail buildings. The 50,000-square-foot store will feature the traditional Publix layout, including a pharmacy and deli with indoor seating.
“Situated among notable landmarks in our city, Summerhill is an important part of Atlanta’s history and culture, and yet the neighborhood has long lacked key essential offerings for residents,” said Branch Chief Investment Officer Jesse Shannon. “Through the initial phases of redevelopment, Carter has done a tremendous job reenergizing one of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods and restoring it into a bustling commercial district. We are looking forward to helping fulfill a long-standing need by delivering this quality grocery store, which we are sure will become a significant part of the future story of Summerhill.”
Summerhill is well-known for serving as the host site for the 1996 Summer Olympics, as well as being the former home to the Atlanta Braves. Following the Braves’ move, Carter, in partnership with GSU, purchased 80 acres of land in the community, with the vision of creating a vibrant, walkable district within close proximity to transportation options and downtown Atlanta.
Adjacent to the future Publix shopping center lies the recently redeveloped Georgia Avenue, which features a stretch of restaurants and bars, such as Wood’s Chapel BBQ, Maepole, Hero Doughnuts, Halfway Crooks Beer, Little Tart Bakeshop, Junior’s Pizza and Big Softie. In addition to the revitalized retail corridor, the entirety of the project includes a mix of multifamily and student housing options, townhomes from Hedgewood Homes and office space.
“The ongoing redevelopment of Summerhill has been a collaborative effort among our team, partners, tenants and the neighborhood, and it has been rewarding to see this dream take shape,” said Carter Executive Vice President David Nelson. “Since the beginning, we have been committed to listening to the wants and needs of the neighborhood, and one request has remained constant: Summerhill needs a grocery store. We are excited to welcome Publix to the neighborhood and look forward to the expertise Branch brings to this project, which will serve the community for years to come.”
Leasing at the development is currently underway with roughly 37,000-square-feet of space available for a variety of retail or service tenants.
About Branch Properties
Founded in 1973 and based in Atlanta, Branch Properties, LLC is a private real estate investment firm primarily focused on the acquisition and development of high-quality, grocery anchored shopping centers located in the southeastern United States. Branch and its affiliated companies have acquired, developed and managed over $2.5 billion of commercial real estate, accounting for more than 12 million square feet of leasable space. Branch’s investment acumen, operating experience, market relationships and access to capital enable it to source and execute attractive risk-adjusted investment opportunities on behalf of its partners. To learn more about Branch, visit www.branchprop.com.
About Summerhill
Carter, in partnership with K. King & Company and Healey Weatherholtz Properties, is redeveloping Summerhill, an 80-acre mixed-use project in downtown Atlanta with Georgia State University as the anchor. The private development team is developing 35 acres into a mixed-use neighborhood including corporate office uses, traditional multifamily apartments, specialty and neighborhood retail and private student apartments. The developers’ vision is to activate the streets of Summerhill into a vibrant, walkable commercial corridor, while maintaining the neighborhood’s historic fabric. The combination of the new and existing commercial buildings will create an accessible, human-scale place where people want to eat, shop and hang out with friends or coworkers. To learn more, visit https://summerhillatl.com.
