ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Cousins Properties Incorporated (NYSE: CUZ) announced today it has
expanded its Real Estate Advisory Services Group to meet the growing
needs of equity investors and lenders saddled with distressed assets.
With a track record spanning 51 years, Cousins draws on the experience
of in-house professionals to evaluate, recommend and implement solutions
for the most complex real estate challenges. With the real estate
industry experiencing its worst downturn in a generation, Cousins has
seen a significant increase in the demand for its Advisory Services
Group. This trend is expected to continue as more institutions realize
the need for a seasoned advisor to help them complete partially
developed projects, work through refinancing efforts, and assist with
the disposition of assets.
"Institutions of all types are facing unprecedented exposure to
distressed commercial, retail, and residential assets," said Cousins CEO
Tom Bell. "For these companies, it is imperative to develop the right
strategy, right now. There are no easy answers, but Cousins Properties
has the experience and expertise it takes to help our clients navigate
through these trying times."
Assistance with distressed properties is the province of Cousins' Real
Estate Advisory Services Group. The group provides services in three
major areas of expertise:
-- Development Services: consulting, master planning, entitlement, design
coordination, project management, and construction
-- Financial Services: financial analysis, recapitalization, refinance,
disposition; and
-- Asset Management: property management, leasing, marketing
For more information on Cousins Real Estate Services, please visit the
Cousins Web site at www.cousinsproperties.com.
About Cousins Properties, Inc.
Cousins Properties Incorporated is a leading diversified real estate
company with extensive experience in development, acquisition,
financing, management and leasing. Based in Atlanta, the Company
actively invests in office, multi-family, retail and land development
projects. Since its founding in 1958, Cousins has developed 20 million
square feet of office space, 20 million square feet of retail space,
more than 3,500 multi-family units and more than 60 single-family
neighborhoods. The Company is a fully integrated equity real estate
investment trust (REIT) and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol CUZ. For more, please visit www.cousinsproperties.com.
Certain matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws and are
subject to uncertainties and risk. These include, but are not limited
to, general and local economic conditions (including the current general
recession and state of the credit markets), local real estate conditions
(including the overall condition of the residential markets), the
activity of others developing competitive projects, the risks associated
with development projects (such as delay, cost overruns and
leasing/sales risk of new properties), the cyclical nature of the real
estate industry, the financial condition of existing tenants, interest
rates, the Company's ability to obtain favorable financing or zoning,
environmental matters, the effects of terrorism, the ability of the
Company to close properties under contract and other risks detailed from
time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including those described in Part I, Item 1A of the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2008. The words "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and
similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Although the Company believes that its plans, intentions and
expectations reflected in any forward-looking statement are reasonable,
the Company can give no assurance that these plans, intentions or
expectations will be achieved. Such forward-looking statements are based
on current expectations and speak as of the date of such statements. The
Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of future events,
new information or otherwise.
Source: Cousins Properties Incorporated
Contact: Cousins Properties Incorporated
Cameron Golden, 404-407-1984
Director of Investor Relations/Corporate Communications
camerongolden@cousinsproperties.com
www.cousinsproperties.com