Developer Advances Plans For 3M SF, 1,500-Unit South Fulton Town Center

An Atlanta development firm is moving forward on plans to build a massive town center in South Fulton with six new office buildings, three hotels and more than 1,000 apartments, a project that had been stalled by accusations of fraud.

BBI Development Group is looking to develop the Town Center at Mansa Park with 3M SF of commercial space on 140 acres along Old National Highway in South Fulton, according to a Development of Regional Impact application with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

The developer is also seeking to develop a 454-unit condominium tower, a 1,032-unit apartment tower, three hotels totaling 480K SF, two retail buildings and two restaurants, according to the application.

BBI Development said it expects to deliver the project by 2030, an aggressive timeline for any developer in today’s commercial real estate financing environment. The DCA evaluates projects that will have a regional impact on infrastructure.

Since closing on the 64-acre site in 2021, BBI Development has been “planning thoughtfully and responsibly” on the project that is slated to be developed in phases, BBI Development spokesperson Tialer Warren told Bisnow in an email following this story's original publication. 

The initial project was based on an “aspirational vision informed by the community and city input.”

“We have secured financing commitments to support the project post-rezoning,” Warren wrote. “While we’re not in a position to disclose names or terms at this time, we’re confident in the financial backing already in place.” 

Warren also said the developer is “actively engaged with multiple nationally recognized hotel brands and have executed letters of intent” for the hotel projects, but she declined to identify them. 

BBI's efforts to build the Town Center at Mansa Park have a history of controversy. 

In 2020, South Fulton entered into a governmental agreement with the South Fulton Development Authority to sell the acreage along Old National Highway within two years, South 7585 News reported in 2023. BBI purchased the site a year later.

But in 2022, South Fulton officials accused the firm of “committing fraud in issuing a $100K fraudulent check to the Passamaquoddy Tribe, Indian Township Enterprises,” according to a city of South Fulton press release issued at the time. Laray Benton, a former partner in the development with BBI, filed a lawsuit on behalf of himself in Maryland over the disputed $100K.

BBI Development said the lawsuit was frivolous and filed by a former partner who purported to have access to $1B in construction financing in exchange for ownership interest in its project through a relationship with the Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indian Township, Massachusetts, according to a September 2022 letter sent to the South Fulton City Council. The money never materialized, and the $100K check that was supposed to go to the tribe upon closing was voided.

The Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Maryland, dismissed the suit in 2023.

“BBI has never engaged in any ‘fraudulent’ or ‘clandestine’ activity in connection with the purchase of the property or any other matter,” BBI Vice President L. Monty Garside wrote in the letter. “It is our firm belief that his purpose in filing the lawsuit was not to pursue any claims, but instead to obstruct BBI from moving forward with its proposed mixed-use development project on the Property so that he can propose a competing project.”

BBI is facing another suit regarding the project. Last July, Carroll’s Roofing filed a lawsuit against BBI and its principals, Jeffrey Butler Sr. and Jeffrey Butler Jr., over a $1.6M equity investment the firm made in Town Center at Mansa Park in 2022.

Carroll’s Roofing said the Butlers reneged on an agreement to repay the money by January 2023 and ignored a demand letter, according to the suit filed in the DeKalb County Superior Court.

BBI filed a counterclaim, alleging that Carroll’s Roofing gave it the money without a stipulation of gaining any equity interest and never asked for the funds in return. The firm alleges Carroll’s Roofing declined to accept the return of its dollars and allowed BBI to use the funds toward the project. 

Clayton Smith, an attorney with Miller & Martin who is representing Carroll’s Roofing, declined to elaborate on the lawsuit.

“We stand by all the allegations in our complaint,” Smith said.

“This is an ongoing legal matter,” Warren told Bisnow. “While we’re hopeful for a timely resolution, we will allow the legal process to run its course.”

Pierson Ferdinand partner John Goselin, who is representing BBI in the case, didn't return calls seeking comment. He recently filed a motion with the court to remove himself as the developer's attorney.

Officials with the city of South Fulton also didn't respond to requests seeking comment.

UPDATE, JUNE 10, 2:30 P.M. ET: This story has been updated to include additional details and responses from a BBI spokesperson.

CORRECTION, JUNE 10, 4 P.M. ET: A previous version of the story misspelled Tialer Warren's last name. The story has been updated.