Erik Rowen, McKibbon Places, and Brent Beecham, Market District Development, on Alpharetta District Places, Small-Shop Retail, and a New City Park in Downtown Alpharetta (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 989)
On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Erik Rowen, President of McKibbon Places, and Brent Beecham, CEO of Market District Development, the partners behind Alpharetta District Places. The two-phase mixed-use development sits near the corner of Main Street and Old Milton Parkway in downtown Alpharetta, on land that several earlier groups tried and failed to develop. Erik, a registered architect who has built about 40 hotels with McKibbon, brought a concept to the landowning family. Brent, a fourth-generation builder from Roswell, brought a capital partner and a builder’s eye for historic detail.
Phase one fronts Roswell Street and the new section of the Alpha Loop. It adds about 34,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space in four buildings wrapped around a new city park. Brent explains how the design draws inspiration from the historic homes along Roswell Street and Canton Street in Roswell, with each building reflecting a different era and using real materials where most new construction would use plastic trim. Erik describes the goal as a “perfectly imperfect” development, one that feels as if it could have stood on Roswell Street for 50 years. He also describes a building modeled on a 1930s Alpharetta service station, with spaces as small as 400 square feet for small businesses ready to move from the farmers market into a first storefront.
The conversation also covers why the partners gave their CBRE leasing team control of the tenant improvement budget and why both phases have more parking than code requires. They also discuss plans for phase two along Main Street, including a pedestrian grand stair and a gateway building meant to connect North Main and South Main. The partners expect phase one to open by the end of 2027.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
- Alpharetta District Places takes its design cues from the neighboring Heritage District and from Canton Street in Roswell, and each of the four phase-one buildings reflects a different era of downtown architecture. Brent says the challenging part is carrying out the details with real craftsmanship.
- Spaces of 400 to 500 square feet give farmers market businesses and online sellers an affordable way into downtown Alpharetta so they can build a customer base before taking on a larger lease.
- The partners gave their CBRE brokers authority over the rent targets and the tenant improvement budget. The brokers have been willing to wait for the right mix, even with seven ice cream shops asking for space next to the park.
- Both partners live within a few miles of the site and serve the city, Erik on the Design Review Board and Brent on the Board of Zoning Appeals. Brent wants his grandchildren to point to what he built, the way he can still find ceilings his grandfather plastered.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:20 John Ray introduces the show and guests Erik Rowen and Brent Beecham
02:09 Backgrounds in hotel development and four generations of building
04:27 How a landowner, a set of sketches, and a new partnership came together
06:14 Two phases for two neighborhoods: Roswell Street and Main Street
07:30 Canton Street inspiration and the “perfectly imperfect” philosophy
10:53 Phase one: 34,000 square feet of restaurant and retail around a new city park
13:41 A 1930s service station and small spaces for startup businesses
16:05 Why new construction costs push rents higher
17:37 Curating the tenant mix with a leasing team that controls the budget
22:05 Living, working, and volunteering within a few miles of downtown
26:35 Phase one timeline and a grand opening targeted for late 2027
26:58 Phase two plans, close to 400 parking spaces, and a gateway to South Main
34:19 How to follow Alpharetta District Places
Alpharetta District Places
Alpharetta District Places is a 2.4-acre mixed-use development in downtown Alpharetta. It is being developed by Alpharetta District Places, LLC, a joint venture of McKibbon Places and Market District Development. Phase one, on Roswell Street between Old Milton Parkway and Marietta Street, includes about 34,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space in four buildings around a new city park, facing the Alpha Loop. Some spaces are as small as 400 square feet so emerging local businesses can afford a downtown storefront. Phase two will face Main Street and add retail, restaurant, and office space.
Erik Rowen, President, McKibbon Places
Erik Rowen is President of McKibbon Places, a role he has held since the company’s founding in 2019. He joined McKibbon in 2003 as a project manager, later served as Vice President of Development, and has managed more than 35 new-build hotel projects. He is a registered architect with a Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University and an MBA in real estate from Georgia State University. Erik has lived in Alpharetta since 1998 and serves on the city’s Design Review Board.
McKibbon Places, based in downtown Alpharetta, manages hospitality development and renovation projects, from pre-development and design through construction and closeout. The firm has managed more than 80 new-build projects totaling more than $1.5 billion and more than 120 renovation projects. Under Erik’s leadership it has expanded into commercial, educational, and multifamily development.
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Brent Beecham, CEO, Market District Development
Brent Beecham is CEO of Market District Development. He grew up in Roswell, comes from four generations of builders, and started his career building high-end homes in Buckhead. He later developed and ran Montaluce Winery before moving into commercial development. Brent serves on Alpharetta’s Board of Zoning Appeals.
Market District Development is a North Fulton developer focused on local, walkable commercial projects. Backed by a financial partner, the firm serves as his development arm in metro Atlanta. Its projects include Market District Crabapple in Milton and a recently completed development in downtown Alpharetta.
Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio
Renasant Bank has humble roots, having started in 1904 as a $100,000 bank located in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown into one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, boasting over $26 billion in assets and more than 280 offices offering banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from the commitment of each banker to invest in the communities they serve, which in turn helps them better understand the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, their banking professionals understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
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Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio
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About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray
Approaching 1,000 episodes and having featured over 1,400 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!
The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their respective markets, communities, and professions. There is no discrimination based on company size, and there is never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates businesses by sharing positive stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. John and the team at North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, produce the show, which is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
The studio is located at 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
You can find the entire archive of shows by following this link. The show is accessible on all major podcast apps, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.
John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants, bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.
John is the author of the five-star-rated book The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices, praised by readers for its practical insights on raising confidence, value, and prices.
