Weekly Real Estate News
Summary
ECI Group announced November 2, 2026, that pre-leasing had begun at The Averly Richmond Hill, a $60 million mixed-use project near Savannah, Georgia. The development has 243 apartments and 48 three-bedroom townhomes, plus 3.5 acres of retail pads being marketed for ground leases. The project broke ground in August 2025; the clubhouse is scheduled to open November 17, 2026.
ECI Group has begun taking prospective residents for a 291-home development near Savannah, Georgia, more than a year after breaking ground on the $60 million mixed-use project.
The developer announced the start of pre-leasing November 2 at The Averly Richmond Hill, on Ford Avenue in Bryan County. The community comprises 243 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and 48 three-bedroom townhomes. Its 8,400-square-foot clubhouse is scheduled to open November 17, when the leasing team plans to discuss prospective move-in dates with applicants.
Pre-leasing does not mean all 291 homes are complete or occupied. ECI has not disclosed a current occupancy figure, signed-lease count, final completion date or asking-rent schedule in its announcement.
A residential project with retail ground leases
Along Ford Avenue, the development also includes two pad-ready retail sites totaling approximately 3.5 acres. ECI said Ashley Smith and Tyler Mouchet of Colliers in Savannah are marketing those sites for ground leases. A ground lease gives a tenant rights to use land under a lease; it is distinct from selling the land or signing retail tenants into completed storefronts. No executed ground leases were disclosed.
The property is less than a mile from Interstate 95, with access to employment centers tied to the Savannah port, regional manufacturing and military operations. The developer is betting that demand from those employers will support new rental housing in Richmond Hill. Its announcement did not supply independently verified absorption figures or rent comparisons for the submarket.
ECI announced the original groundbreaking in August 2025. At that stage, the company identified Synovus and CIBC as construction financing providers and ECI Construction as general contractor. The newly announced pre-leasing milestone does not represent a new $60 million investment or a separate construction loan.
What has changed since groundbreaking
The development is moving from construction toward residential operations. Prospective renters can review floor plans and contact the leasing team, while the retail parcels remain a separate leasing effort. The apartment-and-townhome mix may appeal to households seeking more space without purchasing a house, although the developer has not released pricing that would allow an affordability comparison with local ownership costs.
WRE News covered the original groundbreaking. The news now is the start of leasing, with the clubhouse opening scheduled later this month. The announced $60 million is the project’s stated development value, not new funding secured on November 2.
Image: Illustrative modern residential building, not The Averly Richmond Hill. Photo credit: Diane Picchiottino/Unsplash.
