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George Smith Partners Expands National Presence with New Alpharetta, Georgia Office Led by Nate Weyer

BISWIRE/March 13, 2025 — George Smith Partners (GSP), a leading real estate capital advisory firm, is excited to announce the expansion of its national platform with the opening of a new office in Alpharetta, Georgia. Industry veteran Nate Weyer is joining the firm as Senior Managing Director and will spearhead GSP’s growth in the Southeast and nationally, further strengthening the firm’s ability to serve institutional investors and developers.

With over 25 years of success in commercial real estate capital markets, Weyer brings insightful expertise in structured finance, debt placement, and equity advisory. His leadership in Alpharetta will be instrumental in expanding GSP’s presence and fostering new relationships as GSP establishes their direct presence in the Southeast market.

“I am excited to align with GSP that provides over 50 years of capital advisory experience, focused on solving for the current needs within the real estate capital markets and having the ability to also provide direct capital solutions as warranted from strategic alliances,” said Nate Weyer, Senior Managing Director at GSP. The launch of the Alpharetta office is part of GSP’s broader strategy to expand its reach in key markets nationwide. With a strong track record of advising on complex real estate capital structures, the firm remains committed to providing best-in-class solutions to its clients.

“Nate’s extensive experience in institutional and structured finance, combined with his track record of closing consequential deals, makes him a tremendous asset to our firm,” said Justin Piasecki, President of George Smith Partners. “His leadership will not only strengthen our presence in the Southeast but also enhance our ability to provide sophisticated capital solutions to our clients nationwide.”

About George Smith Partners

George Smith Partners, an AXCS Capital Company, specializes in financing for commercial properties and real estate entities. The firm has the capability to finance the entire capital stack across all major types of real estate financing, including permanent, bridge, construction, acquisition, hard money, mezzanine, participating debt, joint ventures and preferred equity. Since 1992, GSP has facilitated transactions exceeding $100 billion in value and arranged over $65 billion in capital. GSP has five offices nationwide in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Dallas, and Alpharetta, Georgia.

Rivian, the electric vehicle maker slated to open a massive manufacturing plant in Georgia in the coming years, has opened a showroom and test drive space in Alpharetta.

It is the automaker’s second such space in Georgia, joining its Ponce City Market location, and its 25th in the U.S., according to Sara Webster Wylie, Rivian’s director of local and retail marketing.

Rivian is different from legacy automakers in that it does not have dealerships; instead, it sells direct-to-consumer. But in Georgia, no automaker except Tesla can bypass independent dealerships and sell at stores, so Rivian calls its locations in the state “spaces” and sells its vehicles online.

ExploreDespite Georgia’s auto plants, tariffs threaten to ‘wreak havoc’ on car prices

They offer interested buyers a chance to see the two models Rivian sells, the R1S SUV and the R1T pickup truck, learn about owning an electric vehicle and take one for a spin around the block.

“We see both folks who are very passionate about electric vehicle ownership already, we see first timers, and we want to create sites that are really inviting for the community so they can come in, they can get curious, they can ask questions, they can experience our vehicles and they can meet other enthusiastic EV owners,” Webster Wylie said.

Credit: Bita Honarvar

The Alpharetta space is in the Avalon shopping center, next to high-end furniture store Arhaus. It opened to the public two weeks ago, Webster Wylie said, but had its grand opening event Friday.

The nearly 5,000-square-foot store has an outdoors-mixed-with-industrial feel — the breeze from the opened garage-style doors rustles the tall potted trees while jute rugs sit on polished concrete floors.

Credit: Bita Honarvar

The grand opening comes as manufacturing and economic challenges have slowed Rivian’s growth. This week, Rivian’s CEO said he and leaders of other automakers are waiting to see how “the dust settles” from the latest round of tariffs announced by President Donald Trump.

ExploreAutomakers waiting on how ‘dust settles’ on tariffs, Rivian CEO says

In 2024, the company, which has yet to have a profitable quarter, paused its Georgia factory plans in a bid to save money.

But after striking a multibillion-dollar joint venture partnership with Volkswagen and receiving approval for a $6.6 billion loan from the Biden administration in January, the company has said it plans to begin construction of the factory about an hour east of Atlanta next year, with EV production starting there in 2028.

Rivian’s Georgia expansion has sparked some opposition — and several lawsuits — from neighbors living near the site of the proposed plant who are concerned about its impact on their water supplies and the area’s rural character. The automaker and its state and local government partners have emerged victorious from most of those legal battles.

ExploreRivian sees jump in revenue amid questions over $6.6B federal loan

Cox Enterprises, the owner of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, also owns a 3% stake in Rivian.

Editor Scott Trubey and staff writer Drew Kann contributed to this report.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Report for America are partnering to add more journalists to cover topics important to our community. Please help us fund this important work here.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — In its years-long campaign to revitalize the North Point corridor, Alpharetta officials reviewed the latest plans March 3 that propose a green, walkable, mixed-use district with connections to the Big Creek Greenway.

Over the past eight months, consultant team Starr Whitehouse worked with city staff and stakeholders in the North Point area to build on the North Point Livable Centers Initiative and North Point Creative Placemaking Plan.

“It incentivizes human-scale development and sets new standards for converting vehicular landscapes to fine-grained urban realms,” according to the framework.

The North Point Development Framework plan encourages private investment and provides a road map for improvements. The City Council approved a $200,000 design contract with Starr Whitehouse last May. The firm maintains an Atlanta office and has worked on local projects including Roswell’s Riverside Park.

Opened in 1993, North Point Mall was once a premier shopping and dining destination but has suffered economic setbacks over the past decade with the openings of mega mixed-use developments like Avalon and Alpharetta City Center.

The North Point Development Framework envisions a district reoriented toward the highly popular Big Creek Greenway, which runs along its southern edge. Proposed trails would connect a series of parks and open spaces, which would break up the area with congregation and recreation sites.

“The result is a network of open spaces accessible within a five-minute walk from any point in the district,” according to the framework.

The plan also imagines parks centered around retention ponds, rain gardens and streams to manage stormwater while providing green spaces for visitors. Plazas, lawns and open areas could host concerts and other events.

Alpharetta and Roswell News

“Calm, neighborhood-oriented streets” would run through the area and feature one lane for vehicle traffic with on-street parking on one side.

Walking would be promoted through tree canopies, pedestrian lighting and sidewalks. Cyclists could travel along shared-use paths.

The plan proposes residential, office and retail spaces. Multi-level blocks would promote mixed-use development with retail on the ground level.

Garages embedded within blocks would provide additional parking.

Proposed residential developments include townhomes and walk-ups.

Alpharetta Community Development Director Kathi Cook said the city could see plans this year for redeveloping North Point Mall.

Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group has submitted a petition to attract an NHL franchise at the mall. New York Life Co., the insurer that owns the property, said it has plans to create a mixed-use project around the team.

“If you have that vision, you're going to get more development interest because developers want to invest in cities that have a plan,” Cook said.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Ice skating fans and athletes in North Fulton County call it the end of an era.

After nearly 30 years, an ice skating venue known as The Cooler will trade the ice for pickleball courts.

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Fans of The Cooler have signed a petition to stop the change. A petition at Change.org has over 6,700 verified signatures. But at the end of the month, the owner plans to hang up the skates and bring on the pickleball paddles.

No matter the age, people come to shuffle and slide and show off their skating skills at The Cooler.

Erika Harris is a figure skater who’s been coached at this rink for more than 20 years.

“Of course, we’re all devastated here in the skating community here in Alpharetta. The Cooler is an institution and we’re just heartbroken,” Harris told Channel 2′s Bryan Mims.

Tom Bardis opened The Cooler in 1997. When Mims requested an interview, he was unavailable Wednesday and other employees declined to comment.

On Facebook, Bardis said he and his family have always done everything they could to keep The Cooler open, “But now, it is time for the next chapter for our family.”

“We have made the incredibly difficult decision to move forward with a new business that we believe will continue to serve the community in a meaningful way,” Bardis said in a statement. “Please know this decision was not made lightly, nor without heartfelt consideration for all of you who have called The Cooler home.”

After March 31, The Cooler will transition to be the home of 16 pickleball courts.

“It’s disappointing because I think there’s already enough pickleball courts around tennis courts and all that,” Ashton Kapoor said.

Skaters said the owner has told them that high operating costs and the popularity of pickleball drove his decision. Now skaters have to find their ice elsewhere.

“So to lose this figure skating facility is really devastating, not only to the skating community but Alpharetta in general,” Harris said.

Bardis said he is not selling the building or the business, he just has a new vision for the space and believes the community will benefit.

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