We've seen them stay - Alston & Bird, Kilpatrick Townsend - and we've seen them go - Reznick Group, Novelis and Marsh. Now, Travelport, a long-time tenant at 300 Galleria, will test the market for approximately 175,000 square feet of office space.

 
Travelport has brought in Newmark Knight Frank's Patrick Duffy, Bert Sanders and Monty Harris to evaluate its options for the company's Americas Regional Headquarters. Duffy acknowledged that the Newmark team is working with Travelport and about to kick off the project, but, otherwise, had no comment.

Travelport's lease isn't up until 2014, but the firm still has the opportunity to take advantage of a soft office market and get in front of owners who would like nothing more than to fill a large block of space. According to our sources, a possible renewal at 300 Galleria or other properties in the Northwest/Galleria market and Central Perimeter are in the mix. With a few large blocks remaining in Atlanta's latest round of office development, a Buckhead shuffle may be a possibility as well.

Houston-based Realm Realty and partner American National Insurance Co. are putting the icing on the cake - or baking a whole new cake - at Terrell Mill Village Shopping Center in the Cumberland/Galleria area of Cobb County.

 
Realm begins redevelopment of the center next month and has LA Fitness on board for a new, 45,000-square-foot location at Terrell Mill Village, which is at the southwest corner of Terrell Mill and Powers Ferry Roads, an intersection that sees daytime traffic exceeding 67,000 cars. LA Fitness plans to open by the end of the year. Realm intends to fully renovate the center's façade, lighting, parking and grounds and re-tenant Terrell Mill Village's remaining 31,000 square feet.

 
"First of all, it's just great real estate," said Jarrett Adame, Realm's director of real estate. "We're looking for opportunities with value-added investments, and the demographics and traffic and other factors at Terrell Mill Village are fantastic. It just wasn't living up to its potential."

Realm also recently renovated Whitlock Village in Marietta.

It's a big week for commercial real estate at the state Capitol. BOMA-Atlanta started it off Monday with its BOMA Day at the Capitol where members met with elected officials, Capitol staffers and others involved in state government and politics.  

Senator Ross Tolleson of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee highlighting some of the state's water issues at NAIOP's Capitol Hill Day.

 
Tuesday, NAIOP members weighed in with legislators, Capitol staffers and state agencies with NAIOP's Capitol Hill Day, which included breakfast, networking and discussions on legislative issues that affect commercial real estate, economic development and our lives beyond the workplace. Water conservation in metro Atlanta and the state's water issues were highlighted as NAIOP heard from Mark Williams, new commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Representative Lynn Smith and Senator Ross Tolleson of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee; and Alan Barnes, Director of the State Environmental Protection Division.

Richard Dent's seen a lot and done a lot in 40 years as manager of The Mall at West End. Wednesday, mall owners HT Group celebrated Dent's retirement with the man who blazed trails for minorities in Atlanta's business and real estate community. Dent, a member of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, also celebrated with Mark Taylor, who developed the mall in 1972. Over the years, Dent formed partnerships with the community through initiatives such as West End Neighborhood Development (WEND), voter registration drives and sickle cell anemia testing. He retires on a high note with the mall 100 percent leased.

Real Estate Rooster invites our office market friends to drown their collective sorrows with us on April 14th at Buckhead Saloon for after-work libations and networking. Look for an invite in your inbox over the next couple of weeks, and contact us if you're interested in sponsoring the event. Think of it like Mardis Gras, only a month or so later.