Less than a decade after opening, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is looking to embark on a more-than-$34M expansion.

The distinctive Downtown Atlanta museum, next to the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium, filed an application with the city of Atlanta to add 29K SF to the facility, adding new galleries across three new floors, a new ground-floor educational wing and a new ticketing booth.

Chicago-based architectural firm Perkins&Will, on behalf of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights Foundation on June 23, wrote in the application that the expansion “will dramatically transform the center, helping it improve its prominence amongst nearby institutions while greatly increasing its capacity to advance its mission.”

The foundation is engaged in a capital campaign for the planned expansion with a goal of opening in June 2024, the 10th anniversary of the center’s debut, according to The Saporta Report. In February 2021, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation donated $17M to the center for its expansion, and officials told The Saporta Report last year that it already had enough pledges to build a West Wing, named after The Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank.

That gallery is set to be geared toward families with children, especially those already attending nearby attractions like the aquarium, the Children’s Museum and the World of Coke. The expansion also is set to include security and entrance improvements, renovations to existing galleries, expansion of the gift shop, a new café and an upgraded catering area, according to the application.

PERSONNEL

Global construction firm Skanska named Kay Jefferson as vice president of business development for the Atlanta office. Jefferson previously was vice president of business and community development for CareerSource Tampa Bay and has 20 years of experience in business development and marketing.

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Banking company BWE has tapped Alan Tapie as executive vice president and Thomas Wiedeman and Brad Walker as senior vice presidents for the firm. Tapie has been involved in more than $5B in production during his career. All three previously worked with Grandbridge Real Estate Capital.

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Newmark has hired a veteran office, flex industrial and life sciences brokerage team of Brad Kirschner, Stewart Thrash and RJ Zurak at its Atlanta office. All three have been named as senior managing directors. The trio comes from CBRE where they brokered more than $1.2B in transactions.

SALES

North Carolina-based Four Oaks Capital purchased The Quarry, a 415-unit garden-style apartment complex in Lithonia, from JJM Investments for an undisclosed sum. Berkadia Senior Managing Directors Paul Vetter and Andrew Mays, Senior Director Judy MacManus and Associate Director Ian Shaw brokered the sale on behalf of the buyer. The previous owner purchased the property for $53M in 2021, according to Reonomy.

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Ackerberg and Union South Partners have purchased 400 Overlook Business Park, a nine-building, flex industrial park in Alpharetta, for an undisclosed sum. While the seller was not identified in a release announcing the deal, the latest listed owner is 400 Overlook Business Park LLC. The LLC is registered to Pam Coleman, the chief financial officer of Alpharetta-based T.D. Farrell Construction, according to online business records.

Anchor Point Real Estate Austin Wilson brokered the sale of the 132K SF property.