[micropundit]

Cousins Properties Inc. will send its signature Buckhead tower two floors, or about 25 feet, higher into the skyline thanks to strong leasing activity and continued interest in the project, the developer confirmed.

The company started construction on Terminus 100 in early 2005 with plans to build a 25-story building with 532,000 square feet of office space and a goal of stretching that higher. At the end of the second quarter, the company met an internal benchmark and decided to build an additional 48,000 square feet of office space into the tower.

Terminus will have an architectural spire rising six stories above the top office floor to create the appearance of a 33-story building.

Larry Gellerstedt, president of Cousins' Office/Multi-Family division, said the plan all along was to add another two or four floors if the market allowed.

"We designed the building so that as it began to come out of the ground we could add a couple of additional floors, if needed," Gellerstedt said.

Although the company isn't announcing new lease deals, Cousins Vice Chairman, President and CEO Tom Bell Jr. did say there should be announcements soon.

"There's a lot of leasing momentum," Bell said. "The building is leasing up very quickly."

Terminus 100 is 42 percent leased, with commitments for another 18 percent. CB Richard Ellis Inc. is consolidating into two floors and evaluating the option for a third. Bain & Co. will move its Atlanta headquarters into Terminus 100.

Cousins also will move from its Cobb County headquarters to occupy two floors of Terminus once the building is completed in spring 2007.