Biography

Jeff advises clients in the acquisition, financing, development, operation and sale of commercial real estate. Jeff works with local and national clients in all stages of commercial real property lending, development, investment or ownership, and this work often includes joint venture and partnership formation, acquisition and complex assemblages, preparation of development and easement agreements, construction, mezzanine and permanent financing (on behalf of both borrowers and lenders), and asset and entity sales. Jeff has represented both lenders and borrowers in negotiating resolutions for troubled or distressed real estate.

Jeff has over 20 years of experience in leading transactions. He has served as lead counsel for a major national and international developer in its purchase, development and final sales of multiple mixed-use projects and shopping centers in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas with values well in excess of $2 billion and international projects in London, England, and the Cayman Islands. He is also serving as lead counsel for a national developer of grocery-anchored shopping centers, and represents a number of lenders in both their real property and asset-backed transactions.

Jeff is known for his practical, efficient and determined handling of client business.

Representative Matters

  • Assemblage, financing, development and sales of mixed-use projects in Alpharetta, Fayetteville, Newnan and Norcross, Georgia.
  • Master planned community in north San Antonio, Texas, including residential, retail and hotel uses. Representation has included acquisition of various tracts, securing of private financing from multiple lenders, including a $100 million plus syndicated loan, negotiation of public debt components, sales of parcels to residential and retail developers, lengthy and difficult negotiations for the removal of railroad tracks.
  • Loans by hard money lenders to various borrowers, many of which have been in excess of $10 million. Negotiation of forbearance agreements and work out arrangements.
  • Development of the Union Pacific Railyards in Sacramento, California, including acquisition of real property from Union Pacific, negotiations and closing of transactions with the City of Sacramento, regional transit authorities, State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation and numerous other public authorities and agencies, participation in track relocation project, obtaining of public and private financing in excess of $200 million.
  • Development of high-end grocery-anchored shopping centers in Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Newport News, Virginia; Tallahassee, Florida; Dayton, Ohio; Augusta, Georgia; and elsewhere.
  • Master development of the property surrounding the Orange County Convention Center near Orlando, Florida. Representation has included acquisition of real property from the neighboring Lockheed Martin Corporation, negotiation of various agreements with the POA and local authorities, negotiation and closing of sales of parcels to national residential builders and hotel/resort investors, and negotiation and entry into joint ventures with hotel and general development investors. Representation also included the structuring, negotiation and closing of a $325 million limited recourse loan secured only by non-income-producing real property, and loans from and joint ventures with a national real property investment company.
  • Transaction for the sale of fee and joint venture interests in a major waterfront development in Newport Beach, California, to a national REIT.
  • Renovation of the Sunnyvale Town Center in Sunnyvale, California. Representation included negotiations with the City of Sunnyvale with respect to a development agreement, with big box tenants for the modifications of leases, structuring of public and private debt, addressing various development issues including disputes with the local project manager and ultimate sale of the development to a national REIT.
  • Established medical office campus as an office condominium, and arranged for its financing, leasing, construction, and ultimate sale.
  • Litigating, restructuring, and selling over $1 billion worth of debt extended by local and national banks and secured by multiple projects of a developer.
  • Development of retail, office, and residential mixed-use project in Frisco, Texas.
  • Amicable separation of principals of a local retail commercial development company. Negotiation of many other “business divorces” in real estate and other industries.
  • Acquisition of multiple tracts on Grand Cayman, and commencing development of this property. Supervision of related local litigation.
  • Purchase of listed building across from the Tower of London, obtaining permission for its redevelopment as a condo-hotel, and supervision of related local litigation.