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TLANTA – SK Commercial Realty reports over 65,000 sq ft of new leases at Circle 75 Office Park in November, underscoring robust demand for the Class A campus beside Truist Park and The Battery. The largest deals were VentureX (17,664 sq ft), Simplicity Financial (22,356 sq ft) and Phoenix Health Care (10,450 sq ft), totaling nearly $14 million in rent. With these agreements, the 900 Building is now 91 % leased and the 1100 Building 93 %. SKCR’s in‑house consulting will oversee about $2 million in tenant improvements for VentureX and Phoenix. The park continues to draw firms seeking visibility and walkability, thanks to on‑site amenities and proximity to The Battery. SKCR is also promoting the 1200 Circle 75 build‑to‑suit space (250,000 sq ft) while construction of The Henry, a two‑tower mixed‑use complex with condos, apartments, a hotel, retail and a pedestrian bridge, progresses.
SAN FRANCISCO – Mukesh Jain, Amazon’s former AI head for the Rufus shopping‑intelligence platform, has joined Kaya AI as Chief Technology Officer. Jain, who delivered over $12 billion in AI‑driven commercial impact at Amazon, will spearhead the development of Amber, Kaya’s domain‑trained AI “knowledge worker” that reads drawings, specs, RFIs, submittals, equipment lead times and logistics. Kaya is also launching its Mission‑Critical Procurement (MCP) Planner™, a small‑language‑model engine that links design intent to supplier availability, targeting procurement delays that are the most costly bottleneck in data‑center and advanced‑manufacturing projects. The firm already partners with national builders such as Suffolk, Haskell and ARCO Murray. Executives say Kaya’s end‑to‑end system—covering design, procurement, supply chain and field execution—offers dramatic efficiency gains. With Jain at the helm, Kaya aims to reshape mission‑critical infrastructure construction in the AI era.
LOS ANGELES – Dwight Kay, founder and CEO of Kay Properties & Investments, has published “721 Exchange UPREITs: What Investors Need to Know Before Investing,” the first comprehensive guide focused solely on the 721 Exchange UPREIT strategy. Drawing from nearly 10,000 completed 1031, DST and 721 UPREIT transactions, Kay explains how DST investors can defer taxes by converting DST interests into REIT Operating Partnership Units. The DST market grew from $2 billion in 2015 to over $10 billion in 2023, prompting many investors to consider 721 UPREITs as exit vehicles. The book balances benefits and risks, warns of hidden pitfalls, and urges thorough due diligence. It includes case studies, real‑world examples and step‑by‑step instructions to help investors navigate this complex tax‑advantaged landscape.
SOUTH KOREA / CHINA – Researchers at Jeonbuk National University released a detailed study on urban shrinkage in 497 medium‑sized Chinese cities, published in the Journal of Urban Planning and Development. The analysis of census data from 2000, 2010 and 2020 shows that 57.5 % of these cities experienced population decline over two decades, with shrinkage intensifying and shifting from northeast to southwest regions. The primary driver was the outflow of working‑age residents, followed by fewer school‑age children and fiscal constraints; industrial factors were less influential than expected. The authors recommend establishing special economic zones, upgrading education and welfare infrastructure, and refining industrial restructuring to stabilize vulnerable cities. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions as medium‑sized cities confront demographic and economic headwinds.
