Real Estate Representative Matters

Property Acquisition and Real Estate Transactional Matters

• Represented the Port of Oakland in the privatization of Jack London Square.  This was a multi-phase ground lease and development project that included eight separate ground leases and seven additional agreements.  Project included office, retail and entertainment facilities.
• Represented a non-profit entity created by Developer to construct and ground lease County Office Building, with mixed housing element.
• Represented the Joint Powers Authority of the State of California in site acquisition and construction of Elihu Harris State Office Building for a high-rise office building.
• Represented a non-profit foundation in connection with a $15 million park acquisition project including complex greenbelt restrictions.
• Represented owner in sale of $32 million residential project in San Francisco during construction.
• Represented a developer in connection with the development, construction, financing, leasing, and management of an Industrial Park in Richmond, California.
• Represented the owner in the sale of $10 million vineyard, residence and winery in connection with complex joint easements, ground lease and co-ownership issues. 
• Represented a major industrial firm in the sale of a 152-acre site in Santa Clara County, including complex negotiations regarding allocation of costs for environmental cleanup.
• Represented a client in negotiation of Disposition and Development Agreement for site acquisition and government approvals regarding the construction of two commercial high-rise office buildings.
• Represented the owner in the sale of a high-rise office building in Oakland.
• Represented a major engineering firm in handling site acquisition, easement and subdivision issues for a co-generation facility located in Contra Costa County. 
• Represented a Real Estate Investment Company in performing due diligence investigations on a series of property acquisitions throughout California.
• Subdivided an 8-acre parcel, selling two acres to a major real estate developer, establishing a joint venture with another developer for commercial research and development buildings on four acres.
• Handled a partnership dissolution involving exchange of interests in four apartment buildings located in Oakland.
• Represented an owner in the sale of a sixty-unit residential project.
• Represented the owners of a major yacht club in acquiring marina and docking facilities.
• Represented owner in selection of developer and monitoring land use approval for a major residential condominium retail development.
• Represented owner with respect to sale of air rights for a landmark building located on California Street in San Francisco.
• Represented a real estate investment firm in the sale of a 9-acre commercial site in San Jose.
• Represented a Real Estate Investment Company in its acquisition of a multiple use retail complex located in San Diego.
• Assisted owner of historical building in evaluating six different development proposals for different air rights and possible condominium development.
• Represented owner on negotiations of development and sale of property to a developer for mixed-use development.

Property Acquisition and Real Estate Transactional Matters

• Represented the Port of Oakland in the privatization of Jack London Square.  This was a multi-phase ground lease and development project that included eight separate ground leases and seven additional agreements.  Project included office, retail and entertainment facilities.
• Represented a non-profit entity created by Developer to construct and ground lease County Office Building, with mixed housing element.
• Represented the Joint Powers Authority of the State of California in site acquisition and construction of Elihu Harris State Office Building for a high-rise office building.
• Represented a non-profit foundation in connection with a $15 million park acquisition project including complex greenbelt restrictions.
• Represented owner in sale of $32 million residential project in San Francisco during construction.
• Represented a developer in connection with the development, construction, financing, leasing, and management of an Industrial Park in Richmond, California.
• Represented the owner in the sale of $10 million vineyard, residence and winery in connection with complex joint easements, ground lease and co-ownership issues. 
• Represented a major industrial firm in the sale of a 152-acre site in Santa Clara County, including complex negotiations regarding allocation of costs for environmental cleanup.
• Represented a client in negotiation of Disposition and Development Agreement for site acquisition and government approvals regarding the construction of two commercial high-rise office buildings.
• Represented the owner in the sale of a high-rise office building in Oakland.
• Represented a major engineering firm in handling site acquisition, easement and subdivision issues for a co-generation facility located in Contra Costa County. 
• Represented a Real Estate Investment Company in performing due diligence investigations on a series of property acquisitions throughout California.
• Subdivided an 8-acre parcel, selling two acres to a major real estate developer, establishing a joint venture with another developer for commercial research and development buildings on four acres.
• Handled a partnership dissolution involving exchange of interests in four apartment buildings located in Oakland.
• Represented an owner in the sale of a sixty-unit residential project.
• Represented the owners of a major yacht club in acquiring marina and docking facilities.
• Represented owner in selection of developer and monitoring land use approval for a major residential condominium retail development.
• Represented owner with respect to sale of air rights for a landmark building located on California Street in San Francisco.
• Represented a real estate investment firm in the sale of a 9-acre commercial site in San Jose.
• Represented a Real Estate Investment Company in its acquisition of a multiple use retail complex located in San Diego.
• Assisted owner of historical building in evaluating six different development proposals for different air rights and possible condominium development.
• Represented owner on negotiations of development and sale of property to a developer for mixed-use development.

We have represented owners, tenants and lenders in all aspects of commercial leasing, including lease negotiations, terminations, workouts, enforcement actions, and payment disputes. Representative transactions include:

• Represented a landlord of a 26-story office tower in Oakland in dealing with numerous office and retail tenants, including lease drafting and negotiations, terminations, rescissions, evictions, workouts, subleasing, and tenant improvement projects.
• Represented an owner of retail malls in Oakland and Fairfield in dealing with numerous tenants, including prosecuting to judgment many eviction actions and breach of lease actions.
• Represented an owner of residential apartment complexes in Pinole and Livermore in dealing with tenant disputes.
• Represented a local owner of a large commercial property in Fremont regarding approval conditions for a long-term sublease, negotiating with legal staffs from Sony Corp. and Nestle USA.
• Represented an Oakland manufacturer as tenant in negotiating and drafting a sublease of space at Jack London Square in Oakland.
• Represented a New York software company tenant in negotiating sublease and landlord approval for sublease of Alameda office space.
• Represented a retail tenant in Berkeley in successfully defending eviction action.
• Represented an Oakland non-profit organization in negotiating and drafting a new high-rise office building lease, including tenant improvement issues.
• Advised a food service company in workout negotiations for termination of store leases in office buildings located in San Francisco, Oakland and Irvine.
• Represented computer data imaging company as tenant in office lease assignment and rent escalation disputes with landlord of headquarters building in Walnut Creek.
• Represented non-profit foundation in leasing land to a recreational users organization.

• Represented Biotech Company in negotiating 30-year Development Agreement with City of Hercules.
• Represented hotel owner in obtaining Coastal Development permit from California Coastal Commission.
• Obtained all governmental approvals in connection with the master plan to develop 4,000,000 square feet of office and mixed-use space.
• Represented a construction aggregate producer in connection with permits for mining, donation of land to the State Department of Parks and Recreation and related lease back contemplating development of campground recreational facilities (one of the first public/private joint ventures in the State).
• Represented a San Francisco-based non-profit foundation in connection with the disposition, development, zoning and land use issues related to substantial landholdings throughout Northern California.
• Represented a developer in obtaining all governmental approvals for a high-rise office complex and parking garage in Oakland.
• Represented a developer of a large mixed-use project in west Contra Costa County regarding subdivision approvals, CC&R’s, CEQA compliance, including toxic and biotic issues, and general plan and zoning changes.
• Represented a developer in Santa Cruz in the entitlement process involving a 60-unit residential subdivision, related affordable housing off-site and subdivision map approvals.
• Represented the owner in the acquisition of all county and coastal development permits for a planned unit development of 97 residential units in Santa Cruz County, combined with dedication of State Park.
• Acquired all necessary approvals for a 56-lot residential subdivision in San Jose.
• Represented an owner in connection with complex land use issues related to a 180-acre industrial site with 300,000 square feet of existing improvements in Santa Clara County.
• Acquired the property and all necessary approvals, and prepared leasing documents for an office complex in Santa Cruz County.
• Obtained all county and coastal permits for a 6-unit addition to a hotel located in Monterey County.
• Acquired all necessary approvals for an addition to a restaurant in Capitola, including coastal and city land use approvals.

Real Estate and Land Use Litigation

• Successfully defended residential subdivision approvals against CEQA lawsuits by project opponents in Santa Cruz.
• Assisted the City of Richmond in defense of administrative mandamus litigation challenging the validity of the general plan and EIR.
• Represented a landowner in a $6 million Federal District Court suit challenging constitutional validity of zoning regulations blocking development, including Ninth Circuit appeal.
• Represented a construction aggregate producer in administrative mandamus litigation challenging validity of permit and vested rights.
• Prosecuted action in Alameda County by current landowners against prior landowners and company disposing of waste products regarding liabilities for potential $50 million toxic cleanup of land designated as Superfund site.
• Defended a partition action against tenant in common landowner in Mariposa County.