JLL secures $114.2M construction loan for 382-unit luxury high-rise in Charlotte's Pearl Innovation District

CAROLINAS, Aug. 12, 2026 – JLL Capital Markets announced today that it has arranged $114.2 million in construction financing for ANOVA The Pearl, a 20-story, 382-unit luxury high-rise residential community in Charlotte, North Carolina.

JLL worked on behalf of the borrower, GMH Communities, AEW Capital Management and Wexford Science & Technology, to secure the non-recourse construction loan through Santander Bank.

Construction on ANOVA The Pearl began in spring 2026 with initial occupancy expected in summer 2028. Upon completion, the property will feature 368,025 rentable square feet within studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units; 6,621 square feet of ground-floor retail and a six-story parking garage with 358 spaces. The development will offer comprehensive amenities, including a state-of-the-art fitness center, wellness spa with sauna and cryotherapy chambers, seventh-floor resort-style pool, rooftop lounge, golf simulator and Fitwel-certified coworking spaces.

ANOVA The Pearl is located within The Pearl, Charlotte's rapidly growing medical innovation district anchored by Wake Forest School of Medicine Charlotte. The district, a public-private partnership between Advocate Health and Wexford Science & Technology is near Carolinas Medical Center, which is undergoing a significant expansion that will add 1.1 million square feet, 448 patient rooms, and 38 operating rooms by 2027. The Pearl benefits from the presence of global healthcare and medical technology companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Stryker and Medtronic. The development is part of Wexford Science & Technology's portfolio of university-anchored innovation districts, with over 10 million square feet delivered nationwide alongside leading academic and healthcare institutions.

The JLL Capital Markets Debt Advisory team representing the borrower included Senior Managing Directors Brett Paulsrud and Tom Sullivan, Senior Director Alexis Kaiser, and Associates Michael Schwarze and Ryan Mueller.

"ANOVA The Pearl will deliver best-in-class multifamily housing in one of Charlotte's most transformative developments," said Paulsrud. "Phase I is already 70-100 percent leased to premium tenants like Atrium Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine and leading medtech firms. With multifamily permits down 43 percent citywide, this project is well-timed against a slowing supply pipeline and positioned to capture the district's concentration of high-earning life sciences, medical, education and tech talent."

JLL Capital Markets is a full-service global provider of capital solutions for real estate investors and occupiers. The group’s in-depth local market and global investor knowledge delivers the best-in-class solutions for clients, including investment sales and advisory, debt advisory, M&A and corporate finance, loan sales, equity & fund placement, net lease, derivative advisory and energy & infrastructure advisory. JLL Capital Markets has more than 3,000 specialists worldwide with offices in nearly 50 countries.

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JLL (NYSE:JLL) is a leading global commercial real estate services and investment management company with annual revenue of $26.1 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 112,000 as of June 30, 2026. For over 200 years, clients have trusted JLL, a Fortune 500® company, to help them confidently buy, build, occupy, manage and invest across a variety of industries and property types, including office, industrial, hotel, multi-family, retail and data center properties. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAY. Powered by rich global datasets and leading technology capabilities, we provide coordinated, end-to-end delivery of real estate services for a broad range of global clients who represent a wide variety of industries. Through LaSalle Investment Management, we invest for clients on a global basis in both private assets and publicly traded real estate securities. For further information, visit jll.com.