It's the biggest deal Advantis has pulled off to date among its Southeast clients. It also is the largest leasing/management contract of the year in the Southeast, several Atlanta brokerage houses that track these transactions tell GlobeSt.com.

Jones Lang LaSalle's Atlanta office is subcontracting its leasing/management assignment from property owner Koala Realty Holding Co. of New York to Advantis for an undisclosed fee.

However, area brokers tell GlobeSt.com the average standard office leasing/management fee nationwide is about $4 per sf. That would make JLL's gross contract with Koala valued at about $11 million per year.

If Jones Lang LaSalle splits its fee evenly with Advantis, that would mean a gross annual fee to Advantis of about $5.5 million, area brokers tell GlobeSt.com.

John Padgham, managing director, Jones Lang LaSalle, Atlanta, did not return a phone call Friday from GlobeSt.com.

But in a prepared statement, Padgham says he did the deal with Advantis because JLL has "an established relationship with Advantis" and is "impressed by their strength in local market knowledge and talent."

Advantis will be using its expertise at the 700,000-sf Koger Center West End, Richmond, VA; the 250,000-sf Koger Center at the Crossroads, Raleigh, NC; and the 233,000-sf Koger Center Norfolk, Norfolk, VA.

All three properties are believed to be at least 90% occupied. Advantis already is providing property management services to JLL in Raleigh.

Bruce G. Ford, vice president, management services, Advantis negotiated the deal with Jones Lang LaSalle and will head the leasing/management team on the 1.2 million-sf portfolio.

Jones Lang LaSalle apparently will be leasing and managing the 30-building, 1.5 million-sf Koger Center in northwest Miami by itself since the Sept. 21 prepared statement from Advantis made no mention of the Florida property. The Miami Koger was part of the four-property leasing/management package owner Koala gave Jones Lang LaSalle.

According to a 1997 Koger Equity annual report, Koala Realty Holding Co. Inc. is a co-mingled pension trust fund. Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. of New York is the fund's trustee. The investment manager is J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc., also of New York.

Officials at Jones Lang LaSalle and Koala couldn't be reached at GlobeSt.com's publication deadline to learn why the leasing/management deal was done at this time and who previously handled the assignment for the owner.

(Please see related story on the Miami page.)