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Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson is a freelance writer based in Atlanta and is a communications professional with more than 35 years of experience in the global commercial real estate and financial services industries. He is the former editor and publisher of National Real Estate Investor magazine and wrote the only biography on Sam Zell published by Penguin Group in 2009.

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Design and Planning
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Industrial
Birmingham, Alabama: Adaptive-Reuse Project Turns Warehouses into a Pedestrian-Friendly Hub
Standing in the shadow of Regions Field and within earshot of Railroad Park, Birmingham’s Urban Supply hints at what the next chapter of downtown life could look like. Once-quiet brick warehouses are being steadily reimagined into patios, storefronts, and gathering spaces along a new pedestrian alley. Early tenants have begun to open their doors, and programming is slowly bringing people into the district. While the project is still in its early stages, the framework is in place for a vibrant hub that will grow block by block in the years ahead.
September 2, 2025
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Ben Johnson
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Issues and Trends
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Obituaries
Remembering Tom Cousins: A Legacy of Vision and Humanity
Esteemed developer Tom Cousins, who was born and raised in Georgia, passed away late last month at age 93. Over the course of his extraordinary life, he became not only one of the most influential real estate and urban development visionaries of our time but also a philanthropist who vowed to create lasting change—and fulfilled that promise.
August 6, 2025
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Ben Johnson
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Design and Planning
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Adaptive Use and Building Reuse
Project Profile: Historic Biltmore to Become New Epicenter of Atlanta Tech Innovation
In Midtown Atlanta, the Georgia Institute of Technology Foundation is turning the 100-year-old former Biltmore hotel into a mecca for incubating technology startup ventures.
July 11, 2025
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Ben Johnson
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Retail/Entertainment
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Adaptive Use and Building Reuse
CNN Center 2.0: An Atlanta icon lands new starring role as ‘The Center’
Downtown Atlanta is experiencing nothing short of a major renaissance. Now, one of its most iconic addresses is being remade into a modern classic, thanks to the transformation of the former CNN Center.
May 22, 2025
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Ben Johnson
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Development and Construction
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Recreation and Entertainment
Triumph Amid Tragedy: Oklahoma City’s Journey to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games
Commemorating the 30th anniversary of the tragic bombing in downtown Oklahoma City finds the city itself experiencing nothing short of an amazing urban renaissance, after having pivoted from a suburban focus to a vibrant celebration of its central business district.
April 23, 2025
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Ben Johnson
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Design and Planning
30 Years Later: The Oklahoma City National Memorial
Husband and wife architectural team Hans and Torrey Butzer were living in Berlin, Germany, in late 1996 when a contest in Progressive Architecture magazine caught their attention. The competition called for designing a memorial to the victims of the tragic bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995.
April 16, 2025
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Ben Johnson
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Development and Construction
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Recreation and Entertainment
New Stadium, Entertainment District Are Last Puzzle Pieces for Downtown Oklahoma City
A major investment in the long-term future of professional soccer is set to dramatically transform the last major land parcel in downtown Oklahoma City. Thanks to a successful public/private partnership, America’s 20th-largest city is seeing a continued resurgence in its downtown.
March 13, 2025
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Ben Johnson
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Design and Planning
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Mixed-Use
Atlanta’s West End: $450 Million Redevelopment Planned with Mixed-Use and Mixed-Income Affordable Housing
A recent announcement from the Atlanta city government has once again sparked conversation around the redevelopment of a once-vibrant mall in Atlanta’s historic West End neighborhood.
November 12, 2024
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Ben Johnson
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Design and Planning
Need for Speed: Formula 1 Is Driving Billions to American Cities
Move over IndyCar. Formula 1 racing is finally gaining traction in the United States. Places as diverse as Las Vegas, Austin, and Miami (and their respective states) are reaping major economic windfalls from permanent and temporary grand prix racetracks, along with first-class fan amenities and facilities, for this international sport.
June 18, 2024
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Ben Johnson
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Issues and Trends
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Attainable Housing
What’s Next for the U.S. Build-to-Rent Industry?
Housing affordability is an ongoing challenge, one that has been exacerbated in the last few years by rising interest rates and home prices. One alternative that is proving popular is the build-to-rent (BTR) model, which includes communities with apartment-style or single-family homes, or a combination of both.
May 29, 2024
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Ben Johnson
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