Commercial Real Estate

 
 

Thompson Lewis has achieved preeminent law firm status for serving a variety of clients in numerous complex commercial real estate matters regionally, as well as in states across the nation and in U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Our real estate lawyers regularly handle real estate transactions for commercial, retail, industrial, and publicly traded companies; buyers; sellers; brokers; developers; lessors and anchor tenants; financial institutions; REITs; investment funds; governmental entities; quasi-governmental entities; contractors; and other real estate clients.

Purchase and sale matters in which we serve our clients include real estate acquisition, due diligence, development, asset management, and general real estate transactions; acting as an advocate before state and federal courts and before federal and state administrative agencies and city governments; advising clients as to brokerage agreements; easements and rights of way; environmental due diligence and wetland permitting; like-kind exchanges; oil and gas title examination; pre-acquisition due diligence and pre-disposition preparation; purchase agreements and options; entity structuring; title insurance and closing services; sale – leasebacks; and ground leasing.. Our lawyers advise clients on alternative strategies to expand, renovate or dispose of their real estate holdings.

Specific examples of matters handled (including due diligence and title work) by our lawyers details our experience with respect to a wide variety of commercial real estate matters that include, but are not limited to:

 

Representative Commercial Matters

+ Shopping Centers, Offices, and Commercial Development

  • Acquisition, development, land use, zoning, leasing, construction, financing and out-parcel sales for several grocery store anchored shopping centers in various locations throughout Florida
  • Sale, land use and title insurance work for 20-screen multi-plex theatre sites, including in Hillsborough and Collier Counties
  • Zoning and land use matters for multi-million dollar Planned Unit Development re-zone petition for specialty retail shopping center in Naples, Florida.
  • Acquisition, construction and sale of 100 plus bank facilities.
  • Negotiations, closing and title insurance work on several golf courses in Florida.
  • Developer’s counsel for development of multiple out-parcel sites in Florida and Georgia.
  • Multiple waterfront projects, including those involving sovereign submerged land, dock, and navigability issues.
  • Acquisition, development, permitting and sales work for marinas, waterfront condominiums and commercial projects.
  • Many sales and purchases of both developed and undeveloped real estate in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee involving multi-million dollar properties, including land use, zoning, redevelopment and financing and various other subdivision, apartment complex, condominium, and commercial shopping center development matters.
  • Performed the construction financing, development, ground leasing, financing and sale of multi-million dollar luxury Coastland Mall, in Naples, Florida.
  • Representation of UK retail shopping mall investment group in regional shopping mall acquisitions in Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri and Virginia.
  • Directed the development and leasing of post offices in multiple states.
  • Privatization of Chatham County (Savannah), Georgia's transportation system, including transfer of control of all facilities, equipment, operational systems, and employees (and resolving union and labor issues), including transfer of water taxi system, facilities, equipment, and employees.
  • Asset purchase structuring and contracts for $250,000,000.00 acquisition of multiple gasoline service stations, fuel terminals, fuel-truck operation, and related servicing contracts, etc., with locations in several states. Coordination with local and special counsel on multitude of legal issues arising from same.
  • Title Examination of Oil, Gas and Mineral Rights and Related Leasehold Title Insurance.
  • Acquisition, development, leasing, construction, zoning, and permanent loan work in multiple states for malls, big box retailers, and shopping centers.

+ Hotels

  • Site acquisition, construction loan and construction contract for boutique hotels in niche market locations in Olde Naples and Bonita Springs.
  • Negotiations, closing and title insurance work on hotels and motels in Southwest Florida and Central Florida.

+ Industrial

  • Site acquisition and development of industrial parks in Lee County, Florida.
  • Site acquisition and development of industrial park sites in Collier, Lee and Charlotte County, Florida

+ Apartment Complex Developments

  • Acquisition, construction and permanent loans for, and sale of, 762-unit apartment complex in Tampa, Florida.
  • Acquisition work and multi-million dollar construction loan for 400-unit apartment complex in Jacksonville, Florida.
  • Acquisition and construction loan for multi-use office and luxury apartment complex project in historic Ybor City district in Tampa, Florida.
  • Acquisition and construction loan for multi-use office and luxury apartment complex project in Del Rey Beach, Florida.
  • Acquisition and rehabilitation of several large apartment complexes in Tennessee.
  • Performed the acquisition, financing and construction of a multi-million dollar 382-unit apartment development in Collier County, Florida.
  • Organization of the development of a 472-unit apartment complex in conjunction with a multi-million dollar private issuance and multi-tiered entity to own and operate the complex.
  • Many sales and purchases of both developed and undeveloped real estate in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee involving multi-million dollar properties, including land use, zoning, redevelopment and financing (construction and permanent loans), and various other apartment complex, development matters.

+ Special Counsel

  • Acted as Special Deputy Counsel to the Ohio Attorney General for the acquisition of multiple large real estate investments for Ohio State employee pension funds.
  • Provided counseling for multi-million dollar purchases and leasing of large warehouse facilities.
  • Counseled client in and negotiated successfully with Florida DEP for the clean-up and remediation of a facility formerly used as a service station necessitating excavation and removal of underground fuel tanks, and contaminated soil, installation of ground work monitoring wells, and extensive remediation in an adverse environment, with significant time constraints.

+ Expert Witness

  • Served as an expert witness for various litigation matters across the State of Florida.