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Sunbelt Developers

Sunbelt Developers

By: Tim Wright
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Interviews with commercial real estate developers that built our southern cities.

© 2026 Sunbelt Developers
Economics Personal Finance
Episodes
  • New Episode: Travis Garland
    Mar 31 2026

    Travis Garland is the Chief Development Officer of Portman Holdings. Portman is a legendary company and their real estate industry was founded by the visionary architect John Portman. Travis has been involved in pivotal projects like CODA, Amsterdam Walk and Spring Quarter.

    In this episode we cover Travis's journey from navigating a brutal brokerage market after the dot-com bust to leading major development projects across the Sunbelt. He also pulls back the curtain on Portman’s fascinating history and gives us a masterclass on where the modern office is heading next. From the bustling pedestrian walkways of the Atlanta Beltline to the new "urban edge" of the suburbs, this conversation covers the strategies shaping the cities we live and work in.

    Big thanks to our sponsors for supporting this series:
    ✨ Songy Highroads – songyhighroads.com
    ✨ Corporate Environments – corporateenvironments.com
    ✨ USA Cabling – usacablingtech.com
    ✨ Scott Contracting - Scott-contracting.com
    ✨ The Beck Group – beckgroup.com

    If you’re looking for commercial real estate in Atlanta, give me a call — I’d love to connect.

    More info: https://linktr.ee/timwright.cre

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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • #13 - Herbert Ames - Lulah Hills
    Mar 17 2026

    In this episode, Herbert Ames, Managing Director at EDENS shares the story behind Lulah Hills, the major mixed-use redevelopment of the former North DeKalb Mall site on Atlanta’s east side. We discuss his background and the projects that shaped his career, including major retail developments on Atlanta’s west side.

    A big focus of the conversation is how Lulah Hills came together. Herbert explains the long history of the North DeKalb Mall property, EDENS’ acquisition process, and the vision to transform an outdated enclosed mall into a modern, community-oriented destination.

    🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube for a behind-the-scenes look at the Lulah Hills redevelopment and what it means for Atlanta’s east side.

    Big thanks to our sponsors for supporting this series:
    ✨ Songy Highroads – songyhighroads.com
    ✨ Corporate Environments – corporateenvironments.com
    ✨ USA Cabling – usacablingtech.com
    ✨ Scott Contracting - Scott-contracting.com
    ✨ The Beck Group – beckgroup.com

    If you’re looking for commercial real estate in Atlanta, give me a call — I’d love to connect.

    More info: https://linktr.ee/timwright.cre

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 7 mins
  • #12 - Jerry Cooper - Atlanta’s Transformation in the Late 1950s and ’60s
    Mar 3 2026

    Jerry Cooper is a living piece of Atlanta’s architectural history.

    In this episode, the founder of Cooper Carry reflects on nearly a century of life and design — from his early years at Georgia Tech and a formative Fulbright scholarship in Rome, to helping shape some of Atlanta’s most influential buildings and developments.

    We talk about Atlanta’s transformation in the late 1950s and ’60s, the rise of suburban office parks, garden apartments, and mixed-use projects, and how developments like Riverbend, Cumberland Mall, Piedmont Center, and Executive Park helped define a generation of growth. Jerry also shares how he thinks about real estate cycles, why phased development matters, and how Cooper Carry stayed relevant through decades of change.

    From designing the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech to integrating buildings with the Chattahoochee National Forest, reimagining corporate campuses, and pioneering pedestrian-focused places like Underground Atlanta and Mizner Park, this conversation is about architecture built to last — and to mean something.

    🎥 Watch the full episode for a rare, firsthand look at architecture, development, and the evolution of Atlanta.

    Big thanks to our sponsors for supporting this series:
    ✨ Songy Highroads – songyhighroads.com
    ✨ Corporate Environments – corporateenvironments.com
    ✨ USA Cabling – usacablingtech.com

    If you’re looking for commercial real estate in Atlanta, give me a call — I’d love to connect.

    ⏱️Timestamps
    0:00–3:06 Intro + Early Life
    3:06–4:09 Sponsorship Break
    4:09–7:23 Architectural Influences
    7:23–12:38 Early Career & Turning Points
    12:38–13:16 Sponsorship Break
    13:16–15:52 Rome, Fulbright & Going Independent
    15:52–19:54 Atlanta’s Growth & Early Projects
    19:54–20:36 Sponsorship Break
    20:36–26:00 Civil Rights, Cities & Sprawl
    26:00–30:54 Suburban Growth & Cooper Carry
    30:54–37:27 Residential & Early Commercial Work
    37:27–40:51 Garden Apartments & Riverbend
    40:51–45:54 Mixed-Use & Corporate Expansion
    45:54–51:50 Market Cycles & Legacy Projects
    51:50–54:55 Designing with Purpose
    54:55–1:06:28 The Future of Cooper Carry
    1:06:28 Outro

    More info: https://linktr.ee/timwright.cre

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    1 hr and 7 mins
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