Cousins Properties Announces New Leases At the Pinnacle; Buckhead Life Restaurant Group To Open New Establishment.

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 11, 1998--Cousins Properties Incorporated (NYSE:CUZ), one of the largest diversified real estate development companies in the U.S., today announced several new leases for The Pinnacle, Cousins' $86 million signature Class "A" office project under construction in Atlanta's Buckhead area.

New office customers for the 424,000-square-foot building include Salomon Smith Barney Inc., which has signed a lease for 35,000 s.f.; Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, which has signed a lease for 15,900 s.f.; Balentine & Company, an investment advisory firm which has signed a lease for 22,000 s.f.; and Pope, McGlamry, Kilpatrick & Morrison, LLP, a law firm which has leased 6,500 s.f. Approximately 237,000 s.f. of space or 56% of the building has been leased to date.

Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, Atlanta's premier restaurateur, will create a 7,000 s.f. establishment in the building's crescent-shaped lobby. The new restaurant, Bluepointe, will feature contemporary American cuisine with a full sushi bar and a mix of Asian flavors, according to Pano Karatassos, president of Buckhead Life. The restaurant will feature a 28-foot high interior, a lounge and dining area for approximately 225, and an open balcony with small private rooms overlooking the ground level.

Previously announced office customers include A.T. Kearney, Inc.; Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith; and PaineWebber Incorporated.

The Pinnacle features a landmark sloping roof line that will soar 40 feet above the top floor and will be one of the tallest buildings in Buckhead. The building includes highly efficient 23,500 s.f. floor plates and floor-to-ceiling glass, providing tenants with panoramic views of the surrounding neighborhood and the downtown Atlanta skyline. The site will also feature an urban park which will create a pedestrian destination in Buckhead. Completion is expected during the fourth quarter of 1998.

Based in Atlanta, Cousins Properties Incorporated has extensive experience in the real estate industry including the development, acquisition, financing, management and leasing of properties. The property types that Cousins actively invests in include office, retail, medical office and land development projects. The Company's portfolio consists of interests in 8.6 million square feet of office space, 3.4 million square feet of retail space and .6 million square feet of medical office space, and over 400 acres of land for future commercial development. Cousins is a fully integrated equity real estate investment trust (REIT) that has been public since 1962 and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CUZ."

    CONTACT: Cousins Properties, Atlanta
              Lisa R. Simmons(Corporate Communications), 770/857-2548




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              George T. Olmstead, Jr.(Investor Services), 770/857-2507




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              Web Site Address: www.cousins-cuz.com