About Us
Starwood Properties, Inc. is the premier commercial and residential development firm for Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Northern Alabama. The brainchild of award-winning developer Tim Carter, Starwood is responsible for some of the region's most successful retail centers.
Starwood Properties has been largely responsible for the development of Exit 7, an ideally-situated retail location off Interstate 81 in Bristol, VA. Exit 7 projects such as Tinseltown (a 14-theater Carmike Cinema), Old Dominion Market Place, Bristol Commons, Old Bakery Place, Dominoes Pizza, Red Lobster, and the forthcoming Village at Exit 7 retail center, offer direct interstate visibility and roadways which support regional shopping.
Starwood's Exit 7 developments have attracted successful national retailers such as O'Charley's, Ruby Tuesday, International House of Pancakes (IHOP), Advance Auto Parts, Cato and Cato Plus, Subway, Sagebrush Steakhouse, Sally Beauty Supply, Rent-A-Center, and TCBY.
Bankhead Marketplace is another exciting new Starwood Project, currently in development in Pell City, Alabama. Bankhead Marketplace, a commercial center much like Exit 7 in Bristol, is conveniently located on Interstate 20 between Birmingham and Atlanta.
Bankhead Marketplace draws some of the nation's top retailers and restaurants. The site currently features a 236,000 sq. ft. shopping center anchored by Super Walmart. Retailers include Radio Shack, Sally Beauty, Shoe Department, H & R Block, Cracker Barrel, Arby's, Krystal and Wendy's, as well as Hampton Inn and Holidy Inn Express.
In addition to his proven skill in planning and implementing new developments, Tim Carter is also an expert when it comes to revitalizing declining properties. Bristol Plaza was one of Bristol VA's many forgotten centers that were in need of remodeling and modernization. Starwood purchased this 112,000 sq. ft. center, made renovations, landscaped and recruited tenants to fill this once vacant and dwindling center. The United States Post Office and Food Lion were among those that relocated to Bristol Plaza once these changes were made.
Other success stories include Claypool Hill Mall in Claypool Hill, VA, and First Union Bank, a large downtown Bristol building which, at the time of purchase, was at 50% vacancy. Carter worked to show the community how beneficial a downtown location could be to business owners, moving his own corporate headquarters to the building to show his faith in the project. While Starwood was in possession of the building, Carter was able to renovate and recruit businesses to fill all vacancies.
Over the years, Tim Carter's developments have won him the respect of both colleagues and community members. His accomplishments have been recognized numerous times by both the Homebuilder's Association (President, 1990; Builder of the Year, 1989, 1991, 1993) and the Business Journal (Business of the Year Nominee, 1991, 1994; Forty Under 40, 1995).
