Belk is incorporating its outlet concept in two of its Atlanta stores. The Charlotte-based retailer will bring that concept to Eastridge Mall in Gastonia and Triangle Town Center Mall in Raleigh.

Both sites have existing two-floor Belk locations. Plans call for converting the ground level into outlet space, while Traditional Belk stores will continue to operate on the second level. Both outlet stores are targeted for a spring opening.

With the opening of the outlet concept at Northlake Mall in Charlotte, Belk now has three outlet locations in North Carolina. The Charlotte Business Journal reports the outlet stores carry high-end, national designer brands as well as Belk’s brands marked down 60% to 85%. Belk has opened 17 outlet locations and 300 stores nationwide.

Belk underwent a restructuring in July 2024. The move cut nearly $1 billion in debt and secured $485 million in new capital.

Scout Living is now accepting guests at Atlanta’s Ponce City Market. The project features 405 one- and two-bedroom fully furnished and serviced living units from a single night to a week, a month, or longer, starting in September. Scout Living at Ponce City Market will be powered by Placemakr, a flex-living operator which optimizes both apartment and hospitality uses for their partners. Placemakr partnered with Jamestown on the project, which is at 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE.

The one—and two-bedroom living units will feature galley kitchens, and separate living and sleeping spaces. Each fully furnished unit will offer a kitchen stocked with cooking essentials, a dishwasher, and a washer-dryer combo.

Guests will be able to request laundry and dry-cleaning services, restocking of necessities for longer stays, housekeeping, and more.

Amenities include a rooftop pool, wellness studio, terrace, reservable entertaining spaces, and a residential-style chef’s kitchen—all with expansive views of the city. 

The second floor will be a place for guests to work. The space will be open daily and available for bookings for meetings, screenings, corporate offsites, specialty workspaces, private dinners, and special events.

Turnberry is a step closer to breaking ground on The St. Regis Nashville and The Residences at The St. Regis Nashville. The Metro planning agency voted to approve a concept plan for the project, which would be 46 stories tall. The building, which is set to be one of Nashville’s tallest, is expected to break ground in 2025. At 805 Demonbreun Street, it’s planned to consist of 179 hotel rooms, 40 furnished residences and 141 condo units.

The development will have a fine-dining restaurant, a lobby bar, a three-meal restaurant, a full-service spa and two amenity decks—one for hotel guests and one for residents. The tower will feature around 25,000 square feet of retail space and a 230-space parking garage.

The hotel is adjacent to the $250 million JW Marriott Nashville, which was also developed, owned and operated by Turnberry and opened in 2018.

It’s a relatively new office concept…work clubs. Switchyards is an idea that came out of the effect Covid had on office use. Switchyards operates a chain of neighborhood work clubs. The clubs are open 24 hours a day, offering unlimited coffee and tea. They have meeting rooms, phone booths and spots for deep thinking. An introductory teaser offers new members eight days for $12. Memberships go up from there. For most, it costs $100 a month to join Switchyard, and each club has between 300 and 700 members.

So far, there are 13 club locations in Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville. Switchyards plans to grow to 200 locations over the next five years.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports the company said it had raised $5 million to help fuel the expansion. The investment was led by San Francisco-based Bullpen Capital, with participation from existing investors Bellevue, Washington-based Cercano and Atlanta-based Overline. 

A new Marriott concept hotel called StudioRes is slated for Jacksonville along Parramore Road south of Interstate 295. Marriott says StudioRes focuses on the short-term rental market for stays exceeding 20 days. Features include fully furnished studios with queen beds and a kitchen.

The public spaces include a communal table, fitness room, guest-paid laundry, covered patio and vending area. There is no breakfast buffet. Noble Investment Group is the developer. VHB Engineering is the civil engineer.

The first StudioRes is expected to open in Ft. Myers next year. StudioRes is said to be “a new-build, midscale extended stay development platform for owners & franchisees in the US and Canada.” Marriott says StudioRes will allow owners to capitalize on increased consumer demand for longer stay options at an affordable price while taking advantage of a turnkey prototype. The company is planning for 300 nationwide.