ATLANTA-The locally based firm received a $4.8 million loan through NetFunding.com and JP Morgan Mortgage Capital for The Centre at Panola in Lithonia, GA. The loan carries a 6.78% interest rate.

NASHVILLE, TN-Hecht's says it will spend more than $40 million to upgrade department stores in three area malls and build a larger store at the Mall at Green Hills. Work at all the stores should be completed by June 2003. None of the stores will close during the renovation/construction.

ATLANTA-Preliminary figures for January show a sharp increase in the central and mid-Atlantic regions and a decrease in the Southeast region.

BONITA SPRINGS, FL-The Bonita Springs, FL-based company's homebuilding division posted a 47.4% increase in revenue for the year, climbing to $906.1 million. Bonita Springs is 180 miles northwest of Downtown Miami.

ATLANTA-Perimeter Center's 90%-leased, 27-year-old, 67,834-sf Park Place shopping center was sold by Chicago-based Equity Office Properties Trust, headed by Sam Zell, to Atlanta-based Sembler Co. for about $17 million.

BOCA RATON, FL-The four-story building on Congress Avenue near Interstate 95 has 149 rooms and 1,800 sf of meeting space.

BOCA RATON, FL-Owen Sagar is Crow's new senior associate on its Boca Raton office and industrial leasing team. Crow also named Julie Strocchia as head of office/industrial leasing in Broward County; and Damon Fuller, relocating from CBRE's Memphis office, as senior property manager.

CORAL GABLES, FL-The Houston-based developer is completing demolition of two existing buildings and a parking garage where the 12-story, 250,000-sf 2525 Ponce de Leon building will be built in Coral Gables, FL, eight miles from Downtown Miami.