Post Properties
Former U.S. real estate investment trust focused on apartment communities and mixed-use residential developments.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Post Properties was a United States real estate investment trust headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, whose business centered on the development, ownership, and operation of apartment communities. Founded in 1970 by John A. Williams and Douglas Bates, the company initially concentrated on conventional garden-style apartment projects. Over time, it repositioned its development strategy toward higher-density, mixed-use and infill properties, particularly in urban and urban-adjacent markets. The company expanded through both development and acquisition. A major step came in 1997, when Post Properties acquired Columbus Realty Trust in a transaction valued at approximately $600 million. Columbus Realty Trust owned 7,526 apartment units, giving Post Properties a significantly larger operating base and strengthening its position in the apartment real estate sector. Post Properties subsequently operated as a publicly traded REIT after completing its initial public offering on July 15, 1993. Management changes shaped the company during the early 2000s. David Stockert became president and chief operating officer in January 2001. Founder John A. Williams stepped down as chief executive officer in 2002 and later left the board of directors in 2004 after losing a proxy contest. These changes marked a transition from founder-led management toward a more institutionally structured operating model. By December 31, 2015, Post Properties reported interests in 24,162 apartment units across 61 communities. Its portfolio and brand positioning emphasized professionally managed multifamily housing, including developments designed around urban locations, mixed-use environments, and resident amenities. In early 2016, the company undertook a rebranding initiative that included refreshed signage and marketing materials. It also introduced separate identities for Post Eco-Active, an environmental initiative associated with its communities, and Post Hope, its nonprofit-oriented branch. Post Properties ceased to exist as an independent company after being acquired by Mid-America Apartment Communities in December 2016. The transaction ended Post Properties' separate public-company identity and incorporated its apartment portfolio and operations into a larger multifamily REIT platform. As a result, Post Properties is best understood today as a former apartment-focused real estate brand and operating company rather than an active standalone business.
History
Post Properties was established in 1970 by John A. Williams and Douglas Bates. Its original business was the development and ownership of garden-style apartment communities, a format associated with lower-density suburban multifamily housing. The company later changed its development emphasis as demographic and real estate-market preferences shifted. Beginning in 1998, it increasingly focused on mixed-use infill developments, placing residential properties in denser, more urban settings and integrating them with retail, commercial, or community-oriented components where appropriate. The company became a publicly traded real estate investment trust through an initial public offering on July 15, 1993. Its public-company structure supported expansion of an apartment portfolio through development, ownership, and acquisitions. In 1997, Post Properties acquired Columbus Realty Trust in a transaction reported at approximately $600 million. Columbus Realty Trust owned 7,526 apartment units, making the acquisition a substantial expansion of Post Properties' multifamily platform. A management transition followed in the early 2000s. David Stockert was named president and chief operating officer in January 2001. Founder John A. Williams resigned as chief executive officer in 2002. In 2004, he also resigned from the board after losing a proxy battle. These events reflected a change in governance and leadership as the company matured beyond its founding phase. Post Properties continued to operate as an apartment-focused REIT, with its activities covering residential development, property ownership, leasing, and management. By December 31, 2015, it owned interests in 24,162 apartment units across 61 communities. The company also developed brand initiatives intended to give parts of its operating platform more distinct identities. In early 2016, it refreshed its signage and marketing materials and unveiled separate logos for Post Eco-Active, an environmental program for communities, and Post Hope, its nonprofit branch. The company's independent existence ended in December 2016, when Mid-America Apartment Communities acquired Post Properties. The transaction transferred Post Properties' apartment assets and operations into the acquiring REIT and eliminated Post Properties as a separate public company. Its historical significance lies in its development from a garden-apartment developer into a large multifamily housing owner and developer with an urban mixed-use orientation.
- 2016
Acquired by Mid-America Apartment Communities
[1]Mid-America Apartment Communities acquired Post Properties in December, ending its independent corporate identity.
- 2015
Portfolio reaches 24,162 apartment units
[1]As of December 31, Post Properties owned interests in 24,162 apartment units across 61 communities.
- 2004
Founder leaves board
[1]Williams resigned from the board after losing a proxy battle.
- 2002
Founder leaves chief executive role
[1]Founder John A. Williams resigned as chief executive officer.
- 2001
David Stockert appointed president and chief operating officer
[1]David Stockert assumed the roles of president and chief operating officer in January.
- 1998
Shift toward mixed-use infill development
[1]Post Properties moved beyond its original garden-style apartment focus and emphasized mixed-use infill developments.
- 1997
Columbus Realty Trust acquisition
[1]The company acquired Columbus Realty Trust, adding 7,526 apartment units in a transaction valued at approximately $600 million.
- 1993
Initial public offering
[1]Post Properties became a public company through an initial public offering on July 15, 1993.
- 1970
Company founded
[1]John A. Williams and Douglas Bates founded Post Properties as an apartment development and ownership company.
Products and positioning
Apartment-focused real estate investment and development company with an emphasis that evolved from garden-style communities toward mixed-use, urban infill residential properties.
Multifamily housing · 1970
Post apartment communities
Post Properties developed, owned, and operated apartment communities in the United States. Its portfolio began with garden-style apartments and later included denser urban and urban-adjacent properties. The business model combined residential development with long-term ownership, leasing, and professional property management.
Residential real estate development · 1998
Mixed-use infill developments
From 1998 onward, the company emphasized mixed-use infill development rather than relying exclusively on suburban garden-style apartment projects. These developments were intended to place multifamily housing in established or denser locations and could combine residential uses with other community or commercial elements.
Environmental community program · 2016
Post Eco-Active
Post Eco-Active was a branded environmental initiative associated with Post Properties communities. The company introduced a separate logo for the program during its 2016 rebranding effort, although the available reference material does not specify the full set of operational features or standards.
Nonprofit and community initiative · 2016
Post Hope
Post Hope was identified as Post Properties' nonprofit branch and received a separate logo during the company's 2016 brand refresh. The available reference material confirms the initiative's existence but does not provide enough detail to describe its programs or beneficiaries more specifically.
Marketing campaigns
- 2016Post Properties brand refresh
United States
Post Properties refreshed its signage and marketing materials and created separate visual identities for Post Eco-Active and Post Hope. The effort presented the environmental and nonprofit initiatives as recognizable extensions of the broader company brand.
Outcome. The rebranding was implemented shortly before the company was acquired by Mid-America Apartment Communities, so its long-term independent brand impact is unclear.
Brand decisions
2016
Launch distinct environmental and nonprofit identitiesStrategyBackground
As part of a broader brand refresh, Post Properties sought to distinguish community sustainability and nonprofit activities.
Action taken
The company introduced separate logos for Post Eco-Active and Post Hope.
Aftermath
The initiatives were introduced shortly before the company was acquired, limiting the period in which they operated under an independent Post Properties identity.
2016
Sell the company to Mid-America Apartment CommunitiesM&ABackground
Post Properties remained an apartment-focused publicly traded REIT with interests in 24,162 units across 61 communities as of December 31, 2015.
Action taken
Mid-America Apartment Communities acquired Post Properties in December 2016.
Aftermath
Post Properties ceased operating as an independent company and its assets and operations became part of Mid-America Apartment Communities.
1998
Shift to mixed-use infill developmentStrategyBackground
The company reassessed its original emphasis on garden-style apartment development.
Action taken
Post Properties shifted its focus toward mixed-use infill developments.
Aftermath
The strategic direction positioned the company around denser and more urban-oriented multifamily development.
1997
Acquire Columbus Realty TrustM&ABackground
Post Properties sought to expand its apartment portfolio through a large-scale acquisition.
Action taken
The company acquired Columbus Realty Trust in a transaction valued at approximately $600 million, adding 7,526 apartment units.
Aftermath
The acquisition materially increased the scale of Post Properties' multifamily holdings.
Transaction value. $600 million (1997)
Sources1 sources
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