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Our Practices
Our Practices
Real Estate
We perform a deep dive into your project, then apply our profound understanding of the industry and economic markets to develop strategic solutions that integrate your objectives with our legal and business considerations.
Our nationally recognized Real Estate team has earned a reputation for providing unparalleled legal services by advising clients on transactions that have been touted as some of the largest and most complex deals in the United States.
Consistently ranked as a Band 1 Real Estate practice by Chambers USA and named a “NYC Top Law Firm” by Real Deal, our versatile team demonstrates strength across the spectrum of real estate law, handling sales, acquisitions, development and redevelopment as well as financings and restructurings on behalf of a wide range of major clients.
Inking Transformative Deals alongside real estate masterminds
Our clients are topping the charts, strengthening their footprint, and impacting local markets – our job is to protect and guide them through the close of their deal.
From the initial phase of planning to the close of your project, we tackle the myriad of moving pieces, challenges and complex legal requirements with the greatest attention to detail. Whether you are purchasing a property, analyzing risk and business opportunities, financing your project, redeveloping, under construction or negotiating leases, we offer sophisticated deal structures and strategic options throughout the lifecycle of your transaction.
Who we serve
Our clients include:
- Appraisers
- Brokers
- Construction companies
- Construction managers
- Developers
- General contractors
- Institutional and private lenders
- Joint ventures
- Landlords
- Potential property owners
- Property managers
- Property owners
- Public and private equity investors
- Sub-contractors
- Sub-landlords
- Sub-tenants
- Syndicators
- Tenants
A multi-disciplinary approach
Our dynamic team of real estate attorneys possess complementary experience in other areas of the law including:
- Bankruptcy
- Construction
- Corporate
- Employment
- Environmental
- Litigation
Our team includes seasoned members deeply rooted in industry sectors, such as:
- Cannabis
- Food and beverage
- Restaurant and hospitality
- Retail
Connections that serve our clients
We have developed and continue to expand our sophisticated network of key players in the real estate industry, much to the benefit of our clients. We have a roster of trusted subject matter experts and advisors who we call upon, as needed, to provide additional insights and related services – ensuring that you have the best deal team at the table.
Our participation in real estate-based trade organizations and industry groups further strengthens our position and insights into the real estate market. This involvement also enables us to make connections amongst our contacts when business opportunities arise.
We attend and lecture at national and regional conventions, meetings and seminars, including those organized by:
- International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
- ICSC Lawyer’s Division
- Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW)
- National Association of Industrial and Office Professionals (NAIOP)
- Acquisitions & Sales
- Condominiums & Cooperatives
- Development & Repurposing
- Financing
- Leasing
- Zoning & Land Use
- Tax Appeals
- Workouts & Foreclosures
- Real Estate Tax
- Real Estate Litigation
Services
Client Perspective
Throughout my career at investment firms and private equity shops, Cole Schotz has provided lender-side technical expertise in real estate financing, transactions and due diligence, structured debt, complex joint ventures, tax-driven issues and workouts and foreclosures - all seamlessly coordinated between different practice groups. More importantly, they provide a level of practicality and real-world guidance that is very difficult to find elsewhere. We have spent many hours crafting well thought-out documents and strategies that have directly benefited our profitability on many deals. The Cole Schotz team has gone above and beyond to help grow our business. Looking forward to many more years working with the firm.
Representative Matters
Select Experience Includes:
- Represented Cove Property Group, in a joint venture with The Baupost Group, in the sale of property known as “Hudson Commons” located in the Hudson Yards neighborhood of New York City. Cole Schotz represented Cove on several real estate transactions that anchored and then funded their ambitious plans for the property. Our representation on this project spanned over five years and included the initial acquisition, financing for redevelopment, a second round of financing, and ultimately the $1 billion plus sale of the property in December 2021.
- Represented Zeckendorf Development, LLC and its joint venture partner the Stahl Organization, in a UCC foreclosure sale. Our team led the acquisition and financing on behalf of the joint venture buyer in which they acquired the interests in an Upper East Side, NYC luxury residential condominium tower known as The Hayworth, with commercial space on the ground floor. Cole Schotz negotiated and closed on the joint venture agreements, the payoff of the existing loan, agreements with the ground lessor of the commercial space, a settlement with the prior general contractor and the clearance of related liens on the property.
- Represented a joint venture between CSC Real Estate and Watermark International Group, in connection with the $21.5 million acquisition and $33.3 million construction loan facility for the International House (now knows as The Mason) located in Philadelphia. Our corporate team also advised on the syndication of the Watermark interest to investors.The firm also represented the joint venture in the $49.5 million refinancing of the property, the restructuring of the property into condominium units to facilitate further development and financing, a lease of a portion of the property to Target whose space is now being constructed, and a further construction financing in the amount of $10 million for the further development of a portion of the property.
- Represented 100 Mile Fund, as lender, in several, senior secured financing, construction financing and preferred equity transactions for properties including multifamily, residential and mixed-use development projects in the New York and New Jersey tristate area.
- Represented Knighthead Funding, as lender, in several financing transactions, including acquisition, construction and refinance loans for ground-up office, industrial and condominium development projects located nationwide.
- Represented G4 Capital Partners in connection with a $284 million construction loan facility structured as a $254,800,000.00 mortgage loan to recapitalize ground-up construction of a 76-unit luxury residential condominium.
- Represented real estate investment firm CSC Real Estate in connection with an $11.35 million acquisition of a former church, school and rectory from the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Charles Borromeo and All Saints located in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood. The acquisition was financed via a joint venture with an equity partner and a $21 million acquisition and construction loan. CSC concurrently negotiated and closed on a long-term lease with Friends of Capital Preparatory Harlem Charter School, Inc., where a new educational facility is being developed. This project was thereafter refinanced with a $29.5 million loan facility.
- Represented G4 Capital Partners in connection with a $69 million loan facility to refinance the property and fund the conversion of two senior living facilities into multifamily rental units. As the borrower was utilizing the NY PILOT Program, our team simultaneously negotiated the loan documentation with the Westchester Industrial Development Agency.
