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If the end of 2025 was any indication of the strength of our markets, 2026 will prove once again how the real estate industry remains bullish on the Southeast region. With a noticeable uptick in activity dating back to the fall, land use and real estate deals continued at a rapid pace through the end of 2025. Going forward, we expect to see continued growth in leasing, construction, and transactional activity even as some uncertainty remains around construction costs, labor availability, and geopolitical instability.

This past year, we saw development activity focus on large mixed-use projects, homebuilding, and the repurposing of aging office and retail. We also saw a significant number of large-scale industrial sector and data center projects. We expect trends to continue around the repurposing of office space as the Southeast continues to attract residents from other parts of the country and the effects of hybrid work models linger. 

We remain grateful to partner with our clients, referral sources, and collaborators, and look forward to helping you navigate the opportunities and overcome the challenges that lie ahead.

We represented the developer in the rezoning and development of a $1 billion mixed-use project to construct a new sports and entertainment district. The district will be built around the Lenovo Center, home of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes and NC State basketball. The rezoning allows for a new live music venue, up to 4,200 apartments, and up to 3.1 million square feet of hotel, retail, office, and food and beverage amenities. The project also allows for building heights up to 40 stories and outdoor tailgate experiences that will provide new ways for college football, basketball, and pro hockey fans to experience the space between the existing North Carolina State University Carter-Finley Stadium and the Lenovo Center. The project will become an economic driver for the region, allowing the mixed-use center to attract more visitors and residents and give fans more options to stay on site before and after games.

See coverage in The News & Observer.

Location: Raleigh, NC

Lead Attorneys: Jamie Schwedler, Walker Abbott

We represented a commercial real estate firm in the rezoning and entitlement of 330 acres in Durham to construct a mixed-use project that will include more than 1.4 million square feet of commercial and industrial space, as well as up to 1,750 residential units. The zoning proposal includes a dedication of land to provide for affordable housing, significant investments in infrastructure, and environmental commitments, while providing new jobs, shopping, dining, and housing options in an area close to the Research Triangle Park.

See coverage in Triangle Business Journal.

Location: Durham, NC

Lead Attorneys: Jamie Schwedler, Marie Farmer

We advised the developer of a 200-acre site that will convert the last operational dairy farm in Mecklenburg County into a residential subdivision. We assisted the client with the acquisition of the property and various development issues, including agreements for the acquisition of numerous off-site easements and North Carolina Department of Transportation condemnation actions.

Location: Huntersville, NC

Lead Attorneys: Tom Quirk, Quinn Warren, Jonathan LeCroy, Michael Crook

We represented a South Carolina–based clean energy company in structuring and managing incentive approvals, as well as negotiating the acquisition of 20 acres of county-owned land in Orangeburg County for a $280 million investment. The project, which broke ground in December 2025 and will serve as the company’s headquarters and training hub, involves the development of a next-generation biomass-to-renewable diesel facility. The investment is expected to create 155 jobs and deliver low-carbon fuel solutions while supporting the state’s agriculture and forestry sectors. Our team led negotiations with Orangeburg County and advised on the drafting of the conveyance agreement while managing all related title and closing documentation.

See coverage in SC Biz News.

Location: Orangeburg County, SC

Lead Attorneys and Consultants: Megan Stevens, Sam Moses, Caroline Frey, Azad Khan

We represented a national homebuilder on the successful rezoning of approximately 300 acres to allow for the development of an age-restricted senior housing community comprised of 793 homes. We advised on the zoning, master plan approval, annexation, and accompanying development agreement, which includes the development of a 10-acre public park.

Location: Wendell, NC

Lead Attorneys: Collier Marsh, Mark Frederick

We are representing a public transportation authority in the expansion of its arterial rapid transit service by creating enhanced bus service on Cleveland Avenue from East Point station to Jonesboro Road; a second line will offer similar service along Metropolitan Parkway between West End station and Cleveland Avenue. These corridors are home to 70% of riders who are transit dependent and the project will provide upgraded station amenities designed to enhance the rider experience. Our attorneys assisted in real estate acquisitions and condemnations.

See full project coverage at itsmarta.com.

Location: Atlanta, GA

Lead Attorneys: Angela Robinson, Lauren Foster, Erika Love

We represented the Raleigh Rescue Mission in the negotiation of both loan documents and contracts with the architect and general contractor for the construction of a new campus providing long-term transitional housing and associated support services for unhoused women and children in the greater Triangle region. The campus is being developed next to and will share amenities with a new residential community from a national homebuilder. Our attorneys also provided tax and real estate opinions, handled associated real estate due diligence, and prepared closing documents to obtain financing through the federal New Markets Tax Credit program and a secondary source loan. We analyzed title, survey, zoning and entitlements, and subdivision regulations as well as negotiated the ground lease for the lease-back of the property to the operating entity for the Raleigh Rescue Mission.

See coverage in Spectrum News 1.

Location: Knightdale, NC

Lead Attorneys: Laura Goode, Russell Killen, Scott Manning, Tyler Smith

We represented a Fortune 500 automotive retailer in connection with 14 sales of 23 parcels and two acquisitions of four parcels of existing developed sites spread out across the country, from South Carolina to Georgia and from New York to South Dakota. We advised the client on negotiating and drafting purchase and sale agreements and addressing issues arising during the purchasers' and sellers' due diligence efforts, including analysis of surveys, title and title exceptions, and title insurance commitments and policies. We also advised on existing leases, local governmental and municipal taxes, orders, ordinances, rules, restrictions and approvals, and environmental issues. 

Location: South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, and others

Lead Attorney: Craig Lynch

We represented a real estate investment firm in the development of a new industrial project on a 157-acre site. We advised the client on the rezoning and annexation, which were both approved in June 2025. The project will be built out in multiple phases, with plans for five buildings totaling more than one million square feet of space. Once complete, the project is expected to create roughly 500 jobs.

See coverage in Triangle Business Journal.

Location: Butner, NC

Lead Attorneys: Collier Marsh, Mark Frederick

We represented a Washington, DC-based developer in the $12.9 million purchase of an office building and land out of federal bankruptcy court to build a 32-unit condominium project. The acquisition came with full entitlements to convert the existing 5-story office building, which previously served as the headquarters of Salvation Army, into a 9-story condo project, with units ranging from 1,000 to 3,400 square feet. Our attorneys assisted with setting up mezzanine financing, which represented a significant portion of the money used to buy the building out of bankruptcy. We also assisted with permitting and negotiated a cross easement and crane swing agreement with the adjoining building. We also helped negotiate the construction loan and prepare the necessary condominium documents.

See coverage in Washington Business Journal.

Location: Washington, DC

Lead Attorneys: Tom Bridenbaugh, Debbie Edney

We represent the developer of an approximately 152-acre residential project in east Charlotte that will contain 649 units, including 319 detached single-family homes, 168 townhomes, and 162 condominiums. Development began in February of 2025 and will continue for several years. The first phase of lots is anticipated for delivery in the spring of 2026. We assisted the client with the acquisition and financing of the property, including preparation of joint venture agreements, and continue to advise the client on the development of the project.

See coverage in Charlotte Business Journal.

Location: Charlotte, NC

Lead Attorneys: Tom Quirk, Scott Manning

We represented a real estate investment and development firm in the entitlement, acquisition, construction financing, and negotiation of a lot sale contract for an assemblage of approximately 74 acres in Knightdale, outside Raleigh. The project involves development of a master-planned residential community with a mix of 302 for-sale and build-to-rent townhomes and single-family homes. The construction loan closed in January 2025 and involved negotiation of loan documents and providing opinion letters. The lot sale contract involved multiple phases of lot takedowns to the builder constructing single-family homes in the for-sale portion, and included the navigation of the completion of shared common elements between the build-to-rent and for-sale portions of the community. The project is currently under development to prepare for vertical construction of build-to-rent homes and to deliver lots to the builder for the for-sale homes. 

See coverage in Triangle Business Journal.

Location: Knightdale, NC

Lead Attorneys: Camden Betz, Laura Goode, Russell Killen, Mark Frederick, Hollie DeBaro

We represented a developer of a 21-acre grocery store-anchored retail project in Wendell, assisting with the rezoning and development agreement with the town. As part of the agreement, the town will reimburse the developer for 80% of the costs associated with a large improvement project to an important intersection. Our attorneys also assisted the client in preparing the public bid documents for the road project, and because of this public-private partnership with the town, these improvements will be built faster and will be in place in time to support our client’s project.

See coverage in Triangle Business Journal.

Location: Wendell, NC

Lead Attorneys: Matthew Carpenter, Russell Killen, Ashley Terrazas, Daniel Knight

We represented a community college in a unique master plan rezoning of a 129-acre portion of land for a new health and education campus that broke ground in September 2025. After successfully representing the client in the rezoning, our attorneys advised on several land transfers in multiple phases with various easements and cost-sharing agreements. We also advised on quasi-judicial hearings and related title relief. The rezoning involved 20 parcels, and was a partnership between Wake Tech, a major health care system, and a local municipality. The master plan created five nodes within the campus, focusing on different community needs such as health, government services, and education and will give students the unique opportunity to study and work in a contained campus.

See coverage in ABC11.

Location: Raleigh, NC

Lead Attorneys: Jamie Schwedler, Camden Betz, Laura Goode, Mark Frederick, Katherine Franck

We represented a real estate investment management company in the rezoning of eight acres in an existing mixed-use destination center in Cary. The rezoning will provide up to 750 new apartments and 30,000 square feet of commercial uses incorporated into a thriving retail center with rooftop amenities. Our attorneys advised on the zoning and entitlement process, covenant review, and related development issues.

See coverage in The News & Observer.

Location: Cary, NC

Lead Attorneys: Jamie Schwedler, Mark Frederick

We represented a real estate investment and development firm in the rezoning of what will become downtown Raleigh’s tallest building. The 37-story, 306-unit luxury residential tower is the first major rezoning project approved in downtown since 2020 to break ground, delivering much-needed supply to the city’s fast-growing population. It will include 7,500 square feet of retail space on the ground floor and approximately 50,000 square feet of commercial space in the historic Pine State Creamery building, which the developer is preserving. We also advised the developer on obtaining Raleigh Historic Development Commission approvals, securing related permits, and acting as local counsel for related real estate transactions. We are also advising the developer on the next phase of the site's revitalization: a 20-story mixed-use office tower.

See coverage in Triangle Business Journal.

Location: Raleigh, NC

Lead Attorneys: Jamie Schwedler, Camden Betz, Laura Goode, Collier Marsh, Walker Abbott, Katherine Franck

Jamie Schwedler leads Parker Poe's Development Services Industry Team. With 50 dedicated attorneys in eight offices across the Carolinas, Georgia, and Washington, DC, our deep bench of experience helps us achieve desired results for our clients at any stage of the development life cycle. We represent residential, commercial, office, and mixed-use developers, owners, buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, and lenders – we have seen every side of a deal and serve as a go-to, full-service firm in the Southeast.

Learn more about the team here.