Big Blue Marble Academy has signed a long-term lease in Dunwoody.
The nationally acclaimed early childhood education brand has 68 locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Big Blue Marble Academy provides early care, preschool, after-school care and summer camp for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years.
Fortec, a Miami-based real estate development company, acquired the property (formerly the site of another preschool, Ashford Academy), then signed a lease to Big Blue Marble Academy.
“We are excited to partner with Fortec, which has established a solid reputation in the childcare industry nationwide, to bring Big Blue Marble Academy to Dunwoody,” said G. Lee Bohs, chief development officer of Big Blue Marble Academy. “We look forward to providing Dunwoody families with the highest standards of care and early education.”
Located at 4472 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Big Blue Marble began operating the school in January and will continue to serve approximately 130 to 150 preschool students. Fortec purchased the property from Marina Dunwoody Properties LLC. Fortec was represented by Milo Spector of Northmarq; the seller was represented by Hinge Advisors.
“Through this acquisition, we helped bring in a reputable operator with an excellent track record to a school that has been an important part of the community for many years,” said Pablo Marcelo Barreiro, chairman of Fortec. “By bringing Big Blue Marble Academy to the area, families in the community will enjoy the services of a well-recognized national brand whose mission is to provide children with the opportunity to reach their highest potential with an emphasis on global awareness and cause-focused learning.”
This is the second school Fortec has acquired in Georgia in the last three years. The developer acquired its first Georgia property in Marietta in 2021.
Fortec, which aims to reshape urban communities with commercial and educational projects, has developed 16 schools nationwide in the last three years. The company has developed over 300,000 square feet of commercial real estate across Florida, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington, Georgia and internationally. It has built and sold more than $150 million in commercial real estate transactions since 2020.
