Commercial Development Types Explained: Build-to-Suit, Infill and More
Commercial development is more than ground-up construction. In Athens and across Northeast Georgia, projects take several distinct forms, and each one affects timelines, financing, zoning, and the kind of opportunity it creates for tenants, owners, and investors. This guide covers the five types you will hear about most often: build-to-suit, conversion (adaptive reuse), infill, mixed-use, and ground-up multifamily.
| Development Type | What It Means | Typical Starting Point |
|---|---|---|
| Build-to-Suit | A new building designed and built to one tenant’s specifications | A tenant who can’t find a space that fits |
| Conversion (Adaptive Reuse) | An existing building repurposed for a new use | An older or obsolete building with good bones and location |
| Infill | New development on vacant or underused land in an established area | A leftover parcel or tired site surrounded by existing development |
| Mixed-Use | Multiple uses (retail, office, residential, hospitality) in one project | A larger site with room for a planned mix of uses |
| Ground-Up Multifamily | New apartment communities built from raw or cleared land | Appropriately zoned land with utilities and road access |
Build-to-Suit
A build-to-suit project is a new building designed around one specific occupant. The tenant (or sometimes a developer working on the tenant’s behalf) sets the requirements, such as layout, size, parking, drive-through lanes, or specialized equipment. The owner or developer builds to those specifications, and the tenant typically commits to a long-term lease.
These projects usually happen for one of two reasons. Either the tenant can’t find an existing space that works, or the tenant wants custom features that only a new building can deliver. You see this often with restaurants, banks, medical users, and national retailers, and examples are easy to spot around Athens once you know what to look for.
Conversion (Adaptive Reuse)
Conversion projects, also called adaptive reuse, take an existing building and change its use. Instead of demolishing and starting over, the developer keeps the structure and reshapes it for what the market needs today.
Athens has several good local examples:
- The Leathers Building on Pulaski Street was once a factory warehouse near the railroad. Today it houses a mix of businesses, including architecture, art, dining, and land planning.
- General Time off Newton Bridge Road is a former Westclox clock factory. Its warehouse space was retrofitted for Terrapin Beer Company, and the site has grown into a larger mixed-use project (more on that below).
Two well-known national examples show how far this idea can go. Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco turned a chocolate factory into a shopping and dining destination and is widely regarded as one of the first major adaptive reuse projects in the United States. The High Line in New York City converted an abandoned elevated freight rail line into a 1.45-mile public greenway.
One quirk worth knowing: according to NAIOP, space being converted is removed from current inventory and counted as under construction for its future use. That means you likely won’t see an in-progress adaptive reuse project on an online listing.
Infill
Infill development means building on vacant or underused land in an area that is already largely developed. It is sometimes called land recycling. The Center for Creative Land Recycling describes it as reusing abandoned, vacant, or underused properties for redevelopment.
Infill sites often have a built-in advantage: roads, utilities, and customers are already in place. The tradeoffs are usually smaller or irregular parcels, neighboring property owners, and sometimes environmental or demolition costs. As NAIOP notes, infill tends to happen in dense areas where land is scarce, though it can also occur in developed pockets of rural areas.
It is easy to confuse infill with adaptive reuse. The difference is that infill is about what is happening on the land (new construction on a vacant or underused site), while adaptive reuse is about what happens to an existing building (a new use for the structure).
Mixed-Use Development
Mixed-use projects combine several land uses, such as retail, office, residential, and hospitality, into one planned development. The uses can share a single building, a single site, or adjacent sites within the same project.
General Time is a strong Athens example. According to Athens-Clarke County planning documents, the project has delivered a Wayfair customer care center of about 45,000 square feet and a Terrapin Beer Company space of about 68,000 square feet, and its most recent addition was a multifamily community known as the Flats at General Time. The developers have since filed a revised plan for the remaining undeveloped acreage, so the story is still being written.
In larger cities, mixed-use often means vertical stacking: ground-floor retail with offices or residences above. Central Park Tower in Manhattan, with luxury condominiums above a Nordstrom flagship store, is one example. NAIOP notes that mixed-use development tends to increase walkability and can help reduce traffic.
Ground-Up Development and Multifamily
Ground-up development, sometimes called greenfield development, starts with land and builds from scratch. For multifamily, that usually means acquiring a site with the right zoning, confirming utilities and access, and moving through the local approval process before breaking ground.
Zoning and entitlements are the key early questions. A site that is already zoned for apartments can save a developer significant time and risk compared with land that needs a rezoning. In Athens-Clarke County, larger projects like General Time have moved through the county’s planned development process, which is a reminder that approvals can shape both timing and design.
Multifamily is also where development timing meets market conditions. Athens currently has 566 multifamily units under construction, all on the Westside and Downtown, including The Views at Athens (387 units, Westside, scheduled to finish in December 2026) and Magnolia (179 units, Downtown, following in early 2027). New supply like this affects vacancy and rents, which is why developers, lenders, and investors track the pipeline closely. Source: CoStar Group, October 2026.
Our Athens Multifamily Market Report for Fall 2026 breaks down current vacancy, rent trends, investment sales, and what the new units mean for apartment owners.
Why Development Type Matters
Understanding which type of project you are looking at helps you ask better questions, whether you are a tenant, a landowner, or an investor:
- Timeline: A build-to-suit or ground-up project takes longer to deliver than leasing or buying an existing building.
- Risk and underwriting: Conversions can surprise you with hidden building conditions, while ground-up projects carry entitlement and construction risk.
- Land value: Zoning, utilities, and surrounding development often matter as much as acreage when a site is being considered for development.
- Tenant fit: Custom space is possible through build-to-suit, but it usually means a longer lease commitment.
Commercial Development FAQ
What are the main types of commercial real estate development?
The most common types are build-to-suit, conversion (adaptive reuse), infill, mixed-use, and ground-up development, including multifamily. Many projects combine more than one. General Time in Athens, for example, is both an adaptive reuse and a mixed-use project.
What is a build-to-suit property?
A build-to-suit property is a new building designed and constructed to a specific tenant’s requirements, typically backed by a long-term lease.
What is adaptive reuse in commercial real estate?
Adaptive reuse (also called conversion) means repurposing an existing building for a new use, such as turning a former factory or warehouse into offices, restaurants, or entertainment space.
What is infill development?
Infill development is new construction on vacant or underused land within an already developed area. It is also called land recycling.
What is mixed-use development?
Mixed-use development combines two or more uses, such as retail, office, residential, or hospitality, in a single planned project.
What does it mean when land is zoned for multifamily?
It means local zoning rules allow apartment-style housing on that site, which can save a developer time compared with land that must be rezoned first. Specific allowed density and requirements vary by zoning district, so always confirm with the local planning office.
Development Opportunities in Athens
Interested in a development site? Browse our current properties or take a look at this multifamily opportunity: 6 Acres, RM-2 Zoned, on New Jimmie Daniel Road in west Athens.
Whether you are evaluating land, planning a build-to-suit, or weighing a conversion, our team can help. Learn more about our Sales and Acquisitions and Leasing Services, or contact us to talk through your next project.