ATLANTA, Oct. 23, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the heels of its incredibly successful turnaround, Atlantic Station today is unveiling new branding that reflects the property's walkable Midtown location, welcoming atmosphere and creative-class vibe.
The overall look — a sharp design with red and charcoal palette — will show up in a new logo, photography and signage.
"We wanted a new look to mark the successes we have enjoyed in the past two and a half years and to reflect the Midtown community that has helped us achieve so much," said Mark Toro, managing partner at North American Properties (NAP). "Atlantic Station was struggling in 2010 when we took over, and now it is a vibrant place where people shop, dine, work, live and enjoy spending time."
In 2010, CBRE Global Investors and NAP took over an ailing Atlantic Station and implemented an aggressive strategy to turn around the property. NAP began engaging the community through neighborhood meetings and an industry-leading social media program. A $2.5 million investment was made to improve parking and security. More than 200 events now are held annually to attract guests and potential retailers. Those events include the BB&T Atlanta Open and, most recently, Containment, Atlanta's largest haunted attraction.
An aggressive re-tenanting strategy has led to more than 30 new retail leases including chef-driven restaurants, locally owned boutiques and first-to-market retailers. The cumulative effect of the turnaround strategy has been a more-than-15 percent increase in sales property-wide. CBRE also has signed more than 20 new leases securing some of Atlanta's most innovative office tenants, including Square, Pandora, Ogilvy & Mather and TapJoy.
Ogilvy & Mather, an internationally recognized advertising and marketing agency, created the new brand and tagline Forward Living. Ogilvy & Mather relocated to Atlantic Station because of its great Midtown location and top-of-the-line amenities. Ogilvy & Mather realized the tremendous progress Atlantic Station has made and wanted to partner with them to tell the story.
The concept of Forward Living is a nod to the innovative and progressive nature of the new class consumer — someone who appreciates an environment that fosters new ideas and embraces cultural experiences, technology, community, walkability and convenience. Atlantic Station, often called a "city within a city," is attractive to the new class consumer because one can live, work, grocery shop, attend events, go to the movies, visit the doctor, attend church, shop or dine without leaving the property.
"From the day we moved to Atlantic Station, we have loved the environment and wanted to help articulate how dynamic and forward-thinking this place is," said Chris Milhous, president of Ogilvy & Mather. "The rebrand serves to communicate the uniqueness and energy that radiates Atlantic Station. We're pleased that we were able to embody the evolving experiences offered by the property and we believe the elements chosen in the rebrand best reflect the development's current and future identity."
The new branding will start appearing on property signage and the MARTA shuttle this month.
About Atlantic Station: A national example for sustainable mixed-use communities, Atlantic Station transformed an abandoned industrial site into a thriving entertainment district at the heart of Atlanta's vibrant Midtown neighborhood. Opened in 2005, Atlantic Station is home to some of Atlanta's most popular restaurants, retailers such as H&M and Dillard's and leading employers such as Wells Fargo, Ogilvy & Mather and BB&T. Atlantic Station each year hosts dozens of community gatherings, charity walks and neighborhood forums. Susan G. Komen Atlanta Race for the Cure and other events at Atlantic Station have raised more than $50 million for Atlanta charities since 2005. In July 2013, Atlantic Station hosted the second BB&T Atlanta Open. A national leader in consumer engagement and technology, Atlantic Station has the No. 3 most followed Twitter feed among U.S. retail centers. Visit Atlantic Station on Twitter at twitter.com/atlanticstation or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AtlanticStation .
About CBRE Global Investors: CBRE Global Investors is a global real estate investment management firm with $90.7 billion in assets under management* as of March 31, 2013. The firm sponsors investment programs across the risk/return spectrum for investors worldwide.
CBRE Global Investors is an independently operated affiliate of CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE: CBG ). It harnesses the research, investment sourcing and other resources of the world's premier, full-service commercial real estate services and investment company for the benefit of its investors. CBRE Group, Inc. has approximately 37,000 employees in more than 300 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. For more information about CBRE Global Investors, please visit www.cbreglobalinvestors.com .
* Assets under management (AUM) refers to fair market value of real estate-related assets with respect to which CBRE Global Investors provides, on a global basis, oversight, investment management services and other advice, and which generally consist of properties and real estate-related loans; securities portfolios; and investments in operating companies, joint ventures and in private real estate funds under its fund of funds program. This AUM is intended principally to reflect the extent of CBRE Global Investors' presence in the global real estate market, and its calculation of AUM may differ from the calculations of other asset managers.
About North American Properties:
Founded in 1954, North American Properties is a privately-held, multi-regional real estate operating company that has acquired, developed and managed more than $4.5 billion of retail, multifamily, mixed use and office properties across the United States. Headquartered in Cincinnati, with offices in Atlanta, Dallas and Fort Myers, Fla., the company has developed 19 million square feet of retail and 13,000 apartment units in 13 states. Currently, North American Properties has eight projects totaling more than $480 million of development in five states. In metro Atlanta, North American Properties owns Atlantic Station, Avalon and BOHO4W. For more information, please visit http://www.naproperties.com .
Elizabeth Hagin The Wilbert Group 404-748-1367 (O) 678-642-4301 (C)
