Smith, Gambrell & Russell Kicks Off Leasing at 1105 West Peachtree with 102,320-Square-Foot Atlanta Headquarters Relocation Lease

Press Release

December 21, 2018

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ATLANTA (December 21, 2018) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce it has signed a new lease to relocate its Midtown Atlanta headquarters to Selig Enterprises’ new development, 1105 West Peachtree. The lease agreement is the first to be signed for the proposed mixed-use development and one of the largest office leases signed in Midtown Atlanta in 2018. Since 1991, SGR has occupied multiple full floors in Midtown’s Promenade office tower on Peachtree Street, where the 125-year-old law firm will remain through mid-2021.

“SGR is excited to announce this transformative move that paves the way for the future of the firm,” said Stephen M. Forte, SGR’s chairman and managing partner. “After an extensive search of the market, we found the new Selig development to be the ideal venue to relocate our Atlanta headquarters. We are attracted to the building’s prime location, new, modern design, and the extensive amenities that comport with SGR’s evolving culture.”

SGR will occupy 102,320 square feet on floors nine through 12 of the new mixed-use development, which has direct access to the ninth floor’s one-acre Sky Plaza featuring green space, a rooftop bar, restaurant, and pool. With construction slated to begin in January 2019, the nearly 3.6-acre site will feature a 31-story, 660,000-square-foot office tower, a 178-room full-service Marriott Autograph Collection hotel, and 64 luxury residential units.

“Relocating to a new trophy project at 1105 West Peachtree gives the firm the ability to custom design our office space and access the development’s comprehensive amenities,” said Jay Schwartz SGR partner and head of SGR’s Relocation Committee. “This will be beneficial in attracting and retaining talent as the firm continues to grow.”

“1105 West Peachtree will be our first new project in Midtown since launching the development arm of our company,” said Steve Selig, CEO of Selig Enterprises. “It’s very important that we partner with the right tenants to make this project a complete success, and I could not think of a better match than Smith, Gambrell & Russell, one of Atlanta’s most distinguished and respected law firms.”

Eric Mandus, partner in SGR’s Atlanta Real Estate Practice, participated in lease negotiations on behalf of the firm.

Shea Meddin, Andrew Ghertner, Carla Williams, and John Izard of Cushman & Wakefield represented SGR in the lease negotiations. Chris Ahrenkiel and Steve Baile of Selig represented the developer.

Over the last two years, SGR has grown strategically within the U.S. and internationally with the opening of new offices and firm mergers. In December 2018, the firm announced its 10th office located in Miami, and in December 2017, the opening of its ninth office in Los Angeles through its combination with business law firm Rodi Pollock. In early 2017, SGR announced three new international offices in London, Southampton and Munich and the expansion of the New York office, which included the acquisition of a boutique law firm. Celebrating its 125^th anniversary in 2018, the firm now has more than 225 attorneys in 10 offices globally.

About Selig Enterprises
With beginnings dating back to 1918, Selig Enterprises is a family-owned and operated real estate company that has a portfolio of more than 11 million square feet of retail, industrial, mixed-use and office properties throughout the Southeast. Among Selig’s most recognized projects is 12^th & Midtown, a more than 3-million-square-foot development spanning seven city blocks and featuring Class A office, luxury hotels, premium residences and flagship retail. For more information, please visit www.seligenterprises.com.

About Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
SGR is a full service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The firm’s more than 225 attorneys provide legal counsel in more than 45 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, real estate, construction and employment law. Founded in 1893, SGR has offices in Atlanta, Austin, Jacksonville, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Munich, New York, Southampton, and Washington, D.C.