Transactions

• Represented a real estate investment trust in the $1.9 billion sale of 49 shopping centers located throughout the United States.
• Represented a real estate investment trust in assuming private ownership of public land to facilitate the redevelopment of three city blocks in center city Philadelphia. The matter included aggregating publicly owned and privately owned land controlled by a governmental authority, conveying these parcels to private ownership and adjusting the underlying funding arrangements involving city and state government. Overlapping issues included eminent domain, private rights in the public right-of-way, public transportation, historic preservation and air rights.
• Represented a private university on a ground lease and development agreement with a master developer for a mixed-use urban innovation district in Philadelphia designed to promote research, cooperative education and technological advancement in a new neighborhood offering commercial office, academic, and research space, residential and hotel units, retail and restaurants, and recreational spaces.
• Represented a community college in its ground lease for the development, via a public-private partnership, of a mixed-use student and market rate housing facility and related amenities located on campus.  
• Represented a hotel developer in ground leases for hotels located on university campuses and developed through public-private partnerships with the host institutions.
• Represented an urban school district in the sale of unused buildings.

Land Use and Zoning

• Represented a developer in obtaining municipal development approvals and permits to convert an office building and showroom, via a substantial overbuild, into a modern mixed-use building, anchored by the international headquarters for a food service and uniform company as well as commercial office, retail and restaurant space.
• Represented a real estate investment trust  in obtaining development approvals in the redevelopment of a large shopping center in center.
• Represented a developer in its development of large mixed-use residential apartment towers in neighborhoods across Philadelphia.
• Represented an urban school district in the ground-up development of new, and major renovation of existing, public schools.
• Represented a restaurant chain in obtaining development approvals for its Philadelphia headquarters.