Team
The Leaven Group team has more than 100 years of combined commercial real estate experience. What’s more important is our purpose-driven commitment to using that expertise to create and operate spaces that help communities rise.
Co-Founders
ZACH MCLEROY is the founder and former CEO of Zaxby’s and a 30-year veteran of the real-estate world, building detail-rich fast casual restaurants.
MARK JENNINGS, Developer and Founder of Athens Construction Group.
BRIAN LU is an accomplished Atlanta-based commercial developer with 20+ years of experience in many product types.
Project Experience
Although The Leaven Group was founded in 2021, our team has more than 100 years of combined experience in commercial real estate development. Below is a categorized list showcasing the team's diversity of experience.
Highrise Condo and Multifamily
- 755 E Broad • 85-unit high-rise condo tower • Athens, GA
- Solis Orange Beach • 130-unit high-rise • Orange Beach, AL
- The Charles • 57 unit Condo + 27k SF of retail • Atlanta, GA
- 7th Midtown • 20 unit Condo + 6k SF retail • Atlanta, GA
- Hanover Buckhead Theater—JV With Hanover • 350 units +12k SF retail • Atlanta, GA
- 881 Midtown—JV With Hanover • 340 units + 45k sf office/11k SF retail • Atlanta, GA
Office
- 309 East Paces Ferry • 100k SF Class A Office Building • Atlanta, GA
- 359 East Paces Ferry • 150k SF Class A Office Building • Atlanta, GA
Medical Office
- 371 East Paces Ferry • 120k SF Medical Office Building • Atlanta, GA
Hotel
- The Thompson Buckhead • 201 key luxury boutique hotel • Atlanta, GA
- Hyatt Place Centennial Park • 174 keys • Atlanta, GA
- Hyatt House Nashville • 201 keys • Nashville, TN
- Margaritaville Resort • Purchase and renovation project • Lake Conroe, TX
Mixed-Use
- Buckhead Atlanta • Luxury urban mixed use project—300K SF of retail, 370 residential units and 125K SF of class A office • Atlanta, GA
- Grove Park • 45 lots, 100,000 SF of office/retail • Watkinsville, GA
- Parkside • 776 lots, 300,000 SF of office/commercial/retail • Watkinsville, GA
- Meadowlands • 571 units active adult community, 150,000 SF of commercial/business/retail • Bogart, GA
Retail
- Tiffany Springs Market Center • 600,000 SF power center with anchors that included Target, Home Depot, and JC Penney • Kansas City, MO
- The Avenue Webb Gin • 400,000 SF open air lifestyle center • Atlanta, GA • $87,000,000
- Emory Point • Mixed-use with 600+ residential units and 90,000 SF of retail • Atlanta GA
- Management of Operational Activities and Development Initiatives for Jll’s Open Air Retail Portfolio • Totaling more than 80 properties and 16M SF in total.
- Development of Over 250 Zaxby’s Restaurants
Retail Construction Management
- Wiregrass Ranch Lifestyle Center • Tampa, FL,
- Nordstrom • Tampa, Orlando, Richmond
- The Avenues Mall Renovation • Jacksonville, FL
- Orange Park Mall Renovation • Jacksonville, FL
Senior
- Village Park Paces • 3 phases–600 total units, Phase 1-204 units • Atlanta, GA
- Village Park Milton • Phase 1–130 units, Phase 2–88 units • Alpharetta, GA
- The Phoenix at James Creek • Cumming, GA
- The Phoenix at Union Hill • Canton, GA
- The Phoenix at Braselton • Hoschton, GA
- The Phoenix at Hammond • Hammond, LA
- The Phoenix at Dallas Cottages • Dallas, GA
- The Phoenix at Opelika • Opelika, AL
- Madison Crossings • Madison, AL
- The Bungalows at Indian Land • Indian Land, SC
Residential Single Family Developments
- Indian Shoals • 176 lots • Bethlehem, GA
- Stone Shoals • 80 lots • Watkinsville, GA
- Creekside • 200 lots • Athens, GA
- Falling Shoals • 145 lots • Athens, GA
- Belfair • 141 lots • Bogart, GA
- Pebblebrook at Coldwater Creek • 49 lots • Watkinsville, GA
- Enclave at Coldwater Creek • 34 lots • Watkinsville, GA
- Hidden Hills • 50 lots • Madison, GA
- Wildflower Meadows • 166 lots • Statham, GA
- Ellington Farms • 50 lots • Statham, GA
- Stone Creek • 50 lots • Gray, GA
- Coldwater Creek • 202 lots • Griffin, GA
- Princeton Farms • 206 lots • Bogart, GA
- Markhams Hill • 20 lots • Madison, GA
- Towns Walk • 200 lots • Athens, GA
- Colleton Oaks • 57 lots • Athens, GA
- Rolling Glen • 57 lots • Bishop, GA
- Idlewilde • 57 lots • Athens, GA
- Thomas Farms • 57 lots • Winterville, GA
- Highland Estates • 45 lots • Commerce, GA
- Tara Place • 45 lots • Covington, GA
- Lake Welbrook • 63 lots • Loganville, GA
Managed residential portfolio totaling more than 4,763 lots representing $430M of investment
Townhomes
- Whitehall Village • 246-lot townhome community • Athens, GA