Branch recapitalizes on equity as Stockbridge, a private equity real estate investment firm, closes on portfolio of six grocery-anchored retail assets. Branch Properties will maintain minority ownership in the portfolio and will continue to handle management and leasing at the property level.

Branch shifts focus back to development.

Branch forms a programmatic joint venture with AIG Global Real Estate to acquire and develop grocery-anchored shopping centers in the Southeast. The portfolio has been fully invested, and is worth about $800M.

As a byproduct of the downturn, the company acquires a number of attractive retail investment opportunities characterized by in-place cash flow and strong prospects for capital appreciation.

As the retail sector suffers during the economic downturn, Branch focuses on other asset types, including multifamily. During this time period, the company completes / the development and lease up of approximately 950 Class A multifamily units in Florida and Georgia and the acquisition of approximately 350 Class C units with the intention of redeveloping such sites into Class A multi-family and/or mixed use.

As the competition for quality retail assets increases, Branch considers pricing for retail acquisitions to be unsustainable and focuses on ground-up construction to create value for its partners. From 2004 to 2008, Branch successfully develops eleven neighborhood shopping centers totaling approximately 288,000 square feet.

After rebuilding its retail portfolio through investments made over several years, Branch sells 23 of its retail centers containing over 2.5 million square feet to Regency Centers Corporation. The sale includes properties in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Long known for its expertise with retail properties, Branch enters the multifamily market through a series of joint ventures. During the next several years, Branch and its partners successfully develop over 1,835 units in Georgia and Florida.

Subsequent to the Regency sale, Branch executives partner with select European individual investors to form Branch Capital Partners, L.P., a vertically-integrated real estate operating company, to continue the company’s successful investment strategy. The primary investment focus of Branch Capital Partners is grocery-anchored shopping centers in the southeastern United States. Branch forms a wholly-owned subsidiary, Branch Properties, LLC, to manage the day-to-day operations of the company.

After building an impressive retail portfolio including 25 assets, Branch Properties, L.P. is sold to Regency Centers Corporation, a leading national developer, owner and operator of grocery-anchored and community shopping centers.

Management of Branch and Associates completes a “mini roll up” of 15 neighborhood shopping centers supplemented by a cash investment by ABKB/LaSalle and the Oregon State teachers’ pension fund. Branch and Associates contributes its operating company and other assets to this new organization. During the next two years, Branch Properties, L.P acquires and develops an additional 10 retail shopping centers in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Branch expands its network of international investors to include Japan by forming Branch/Interallianz Realty Fund, L.P. This fund makes investments in retail, multifamily and strategically-located land in Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.

Branch expands its service offerings to include development, redevelopment and renovation capabilities. Throughout the ensuing years, Branch develops and redevelops a number of retail centers in the Atlanta metropolitan and South Carolina markets. During this period, Publix Super Markets, Inc. selects Branch as one of only two preferred developers to help the grocery chain enter the Atlanta market, and CVS subsequently selects Branch as one of its preferred developers for its entry into the Atlanta market.

With capital from a relatively small group of individual, non-U.S. investors, Branch refocuses its investments on improved projects (including retail, warehouse and office). Branch subsequently makes the strategic decision to focus its investment activity primarily on shopping centers. Management considers such investments to be attractive due to their current operating cash flow as well as their prospects for long-term capital appreciation.

Branch and Associates is founded in Atlanta, Georgia by J. Alexander Branch III to provide real estate acquisition, development, management, leasing, and advisory services to high-net-worth foreign investors. Functioning as a purchasing principal, Branch raises the capital necessary for each transaction on a deal-by-deal basis. Initially, Brnach’s investment focus is on unimproved land and timber properties.