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Real Estate & Development

From acquiring a single property to developing a nationally prominent commercial center, Lathrop GPM Real Estate & Development attorneys know how to secure the best deal possible.

Our interdisciplinary practice combines experienced Real Estate, Corporate & Business, Tax and Environmental professionals to provide clients with the resources to meet business objectives on both traditional real estate transactions and complex development projects. The Lathrop GPM real estate team brings unparalleled creativity, aggressive negotiation, knowledge of multiple cities' inner workings, and strategic incentives to the development process. The depth and diversity of our legal resources – combined with our proven ability to work closely with cities, economic development groups, zoning commissions and local politicians – are instrumental to our clients’ real estate project success.

Our attorneys have years of experience in the full range of real estate matters, including: 

  • Acquisitions and sales
  • Analysis and advice on tax consequences
  • Condemnation/eminent domain
  • Condominium development
  • Design and architectural agreements
  • Construction contracts
  • Development/redevelopment projects
  • Easements
  • Environmental matters
  • Land use, zoning, and related matters
  • Lease negotiations
  • Like-kind exchanges
  • Mineral/mining law
  • Options
  • Project financing
  • Property tax protests
  • Real estate litigation
  • Risk assessment
  • Sale-leaseback transactions
  • Syndications
  • Tax credit financing
  • Title matters
  • Workouts, mortgage foreclosure, and contract-for-deed cancellation

Representative Experience

  • Represented BNSF Railway Co. in the development of a 250-acre intermodal project with an additional 750 acres for distribution and warehouse space in Johnson County, Kansas. The project will have a significant economic impact including the creation of more than 10,000 jobs.  Work has included facilitating negotiations with Johnson County's elected officials, the Johnson County Commission, the Kansas Legislature and the City of Edgerton, Kansas, to introduce this project. Work with the Kansas Department of Transportation to get an interchange for the intermodal facility, for which a combination of public incentives is expected to be used. Worked to acquire site, secure permits and get assessments approved in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Highway Act, the FAA, and other federal and state agencies.
  • Represented Greenfield Development Company, LLC in a series of transactions across the United States in which it purchased vacant tracts of land and constructed built-to-suit retail furniture stores for a major national chain. The stores – typically between 45,000 and 60,000 square feet – are then leased to the retailer on long-term net leases.
  • Represented a commercial mortgage corporation in a number of commercial and shopping center loans for facilities across the nation, including four loans of more than $25 million on industrial parks in San Diego, a $15 million loan on an office building in Rockville, Maryland, a $22 million shopping center loan in Tucson, Arizona, a $5 million hotel loan in Missouri, an $8 million loan on an office complex in Dallas, Texas, and many others.
  • Served as primary counsel and master developer in the Chapter 353 urban redevelopment of 21 acres of blighted property for the development of market rate housing in Kansas City, Missouri. Worked with city and state governments on the acquisition, condemnation and land clearance of parcels and drafted all documents pertaining to development and construction. Secured financing through U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and tax credits and tax abatements from the state.
  • Development of $20 million and $30 million office and light industrial projects in Minnesota and Iowa.
  • Negotiate the acquisition agreement for 5,000 acres in northern Minnesota for private hunting preserve.
  • Negotiate the Financing of $1 billion for ethanol and biodiesel plants throughout the United States.
  • Development of self-storage facilities throughout Minnesota.

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