Developers broke ground in March on Airabella Lake Oconee, a 137-acre mixed-use development that will bring a variety of residential, office, retail, hotel and dining options to Greensboro. 

Phase 1 of the project is underway. It includes 21 “high-end” townhomes, a pocket park and sales studio. Other phases will add single-family homes, a 125-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel, restaurants, a brewery and a retail area called Village at Airabella. A nine-hole golf course, spa, clubhouse, wedding venue, grocery store and offices are also planned. 

The developer is Choice Gateway, which was founded by Vilas Patel in 2007. Much of the funding is being arranged by Shoora EB-5, a sister firm that specializes in EB-5 investing, which allows foreign investors to provide job-creating capital in exchange for a path to U.S. residency. The project received I-956F approval from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in April. 

“With all of our EB-5 projects, we’re focused on creating jobs and making sure our investors feel confident,” said Patel, CEO of Shoora EB-5. “We’re really excited to contribute to the vibrancy in Greensboro … through this development. Getting the I-956F approval for Airabella Lake Oconee just shows we’re committed to doing things right and offering quality EB-5 projects to our investors.”