Commercial
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June 24, 2024
EPA Says Army Corps Doesn't Belong In Pebble Mine Dispute
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is urging an Alaska federal judge to refuse a mining company's bid to amend a lawsuit in order to reverse an Army Corps of Engineers decision denying the controversial Pebble Mine project a permit.
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June 24, 2024
SEC Official Urges Banks To Report Commercial RE Risks
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is closely monitoring the way banks with significant commercial real estate portfolios are communicating with investors about their exposure to the struggling market, the agency's director of its Division of Corporation Finance said in remarks posted online Monday.
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June 24, 2024
Lloyd's Seeks To Avoid Coverage For Beach Umbrella Death
Certain underwriters at Lloyd's, London told a South Carolina federal court Monday they should have no coverage obligations to a vacation rental owner over a wrongful death suit alleging that a woman was impaled by a "wind-driven" beach umbrella.
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June 24, 2024
Nev. Restaurant Co.'s COVID Suit Is Kept Alive
A group of insurers can't avoid a restaurant holding company's bid for coverage of COVID-19-related losses, a Nevada state court ruled, finding that the state supreme court's ruling on the subject didn't control the action because of an infectious disease endorsement in the company's policies.
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June 24, 2024
Ill. Landowners Challenge FERC Moves On $7B Power Line
Illinois residents, farmers and landowners launched a fresh challenge to the $7 billion Grain Belt Express high-voltage power line, telling the D.C. Circuit that when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved an amended negotiated rate authority, it ignored clean energy giant Invenergy's unsanctioned purchase of the project in 2020.
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June 24, 2024
La. To Provide Sales Tax Rebates For Data Center Purchases
Louisiana will provide state and local sales and use tax rebates for taxes paid on the lease or purchase of eligible data center equipment and the development, acquisition or repair of qualified data centers under a bill signed by the governor.
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June 24, 2024
Ex-Chicago Alderman Gets Two Years For Boosting Law Firm
An Illinois federal judge on Monday sentenced former Chicago Alderman Ed Burke to two years in prison and fined him $2 million for using his official position to steer tax business to his personal law firm, closing what prosecutors called "another sordid chapter" in the city's history of public corruption.
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June 24, 2024
IRS Finalizes Limits To Partnership Conservation Easements
The Internal Revenue Service finalized rules Monday that curb the conservation easement tax deduction claimed by certain partnerships, with some changes to last year's proposed version, such as limiting the opportunity for entities to adjust their tax returns to avoid the new restrictions.
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June 24, 2024
Real Estate Co. Fights Back Against $315M Loan Default Suit
An RXR entity mostly denied loan default claims lodged in New York federal court by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., which sued to foreclose on a midtown Manhattan building after the maturity date on a $315 million loan passed with the debt unpaid.
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June 24, 2024
NYC Real Estate Week In Review
DGW Kramer and Chaves Perlowitz were among the law firms that guided the largest New York City real estate deals that hit public records last week, a busy period that saw eight transactions north of $20 million become public.
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June 24, 2024
Red Roof Ignored Years Of Trafficking, Victim Tells Ga. Jurors
The corporate owners of two metro Atlanta Red Roof Inn locations knew about and ignored trafficking at the hotels, a woman who said she had been trafficked at the two hotels and others in the surrounding area for six years told Georgia federal jurors Monday.
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June 24, 2024
JV's Self-Storage Portfolio Nets $185M Loan
Global alternative investment firm Värde Partners provided $185 million in refinancing for a joint venture's portfolio that comprises 20 Class A self-storage facilities, the firm said on Monday.
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June 24, 2024
NM Sued Over Sustainable Building Credit Award Process
A New Mexico apartment complex alleges that the state violated its due process rights after it was denied sustainable building tax credits for most of its units, according to a complaint filed in federal court.
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June 21, 2024
Financial Advice Guru Says Timeshare Suit Must Be Arbitrated
A famous financial advice guru and his company have urged a Washington federal court to pause a proposed timeshare exit fraud class action and send it into arbitration, arguing that several of the named plaintiffs signed related agreements that include arbitration clauses.
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June 21, 2024
Feds, Enviros Spar Over Power Line Crossing Through Refuge
The federal government and sparring environmental groups both called on a Wisconsin federal court to grant them judgment in litigation seeking to upend a land exchange that would allow a high-voltage transmission line to cross part of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.
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June 21, 2024
Texas Plans $185M Alamo Visitor Center Project
Texas will spend an estimated $185 million to build the Alamo Visitor Center and Museum, according to the official website of the state's Department of Licensing and Regulation.
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June 21, 2024
Vt. Lawmakers Override Veto Of Short-Term Rental Surcharge
Vermont legislators overrode the governor's veto of legislation that imposes a 3% surcharge on short-term rentals.
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June 21, 2024
Weil Advises Carlyle's $160M NYC UN Plaza Condo Financing
Private equity firm Carlyle Group has amended a $160 million mortgage through asset management company AllianceBernstein for an office condominium building in New York City's United Nations Plaza, with help from Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, according to property records.
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June 21, 2024
GSA To Invest $80M In Efficiency Tech For Federal Buildings
The General Services Administration plans to spend $80 million bringing new sensors and meters into federal buildings to monitor energy efficiency and air quality, a move the agency says will help it reduce gas emissions.
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June 21, 2024
Apple Hospitality REIT Snags Wisconsin Hotel For $79.5M
Apple Hospitality REIT has picked up a Madison, Wisconsin, hotel for $79.5 million, the Virginia-based real estate investment trust announced Friday.
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June 21, 2024
Texas OKs $1.5B For 7 New Psychiatric Hospital Projects
The Lone Star State is planning seven psychiatric hospital projects that will be funded by $1.5 billion authorized by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and state lawmakers in 2023.
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June 21, 2024
Scarinci Hollenbeck Adds 6 Real Estate Attys In NJ
Corporate and commercial law firm Scarinci Hollenbeck LLC has hired six real estate attorneys for its New Jersey offices in Little Falls and Red Bank, the firm said Thursday.
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June 21, 2024
Settlement Ends Amazon Warehouse Construction Fight
A settlement has resolved a dispute between an electric subcontractor and a construction company over the delayed building of an Amazon warehouse in south Georgia, according to a joint motion to dismiss filed Thursday in federal court.
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June 20, 2024
Trump Calls For Engoron's Recusal In Civil Fraud Case
Former President Donald Trump and other defendants fighting a $465 million civil fraud judgment called on New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron to recuse himself Thursday in light of a once-suspended real estate attorney's recent judicial misconduct claims, which have since sparked a judicial investigation.
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June 20, 2024
Ford Battery Factory Challenge Unplugged By Mich. Panel
Michigan appellate judges affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit seeking to block Ford Motor Co.'s plans to build an electric vehicle battery plant in the state, finding the factory's opponents weren't entitled to a citywide vote on the rezoning of the plant site.
![The Mark Hotel is the subject of a $300 million refinancing transaction and $110 million leasehold mortgage deal.(Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for The Mark Hotel)](https://assets.law360news.com/1850000/1850164/fc3af8161ee906909810b451940483abea1ac0d5-mark-hotel-nyc.jpg)
Property Plays: The Mark Hotel, Oak Row, Bain Capital
Property Plays is a weekly roundup of the latest loans, leases, sales and projects around the country. Send your tips — all confidential — to realestate@law360.com.
![(iStock.com/bin kontan)](https://assets.law360news.com/1846000/1846231/ba2f436546a742e536c98034959c19e3caa7e4e0-istock-1508453163-office.jpg)
Winning The Workout: How To Guide Distressed Office Deals
Real estate lawyers are well aware of the challenges some of their clients face with underwater office buildings, and advising workouts on such properties calls for a bit of prudence and ingenuity. Here, Law360 Real Estate Authority reviews some tips from attorneys on how to approach those deals.
![(iStock.com/Sean Pavone)](https://assets.law360news.com/1829000/1829825/29ea3c5247e0177190088b60df101c4773b0c17e-milwaukee.jpg)
How Milwaukee Tops US In EPA Brownfield Winnings
The city of Milwaukee's redevelopment agency has won nearly twice as many federal grants to clean up brownfield properties as any other government entity in the United States. Dave Misky, assistant director at the Milwaukee Redevelopment Authority, talks to Law360 Real Estate Authority about the agency's success.
Expert Analysis
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A Framework For Investigating Commercial Loan Fraud
As commercial loan transactions are increasingly subject to sophisticated fraud schemes, lenders must adopt dynamic strategies to detect, investigate and mitigate these schemes, say attorneys at Baker Donelson.
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Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.
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Yellow Corp. Lease Assumption Shows Landlord Protections
Yellow Corp.’s recent filing of a motion to assume unexpired leases is a helpful reminder to practitioners to maintain a long-term approach about what is most beneficial for an estate and to not let a debtor's short-term cash position dictate business decisions, says Kyle Arendsen at Squire Patton.
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How A Bumblebee Got Under Calif. Wildlife Regulator's Bonnet
A California bumblebee's listing as an endangered species could lead to a regulatory quagmire as California Department of Fish and Wildlife permits now routinely include survey requirements for the bee, but the regulator has yet to determine what the species needs for conservation, says David Smith at Manatt.
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The Clock Is Ticking For Fla. Construction Defect Claims
Ahead of the fast-approaching July 1 deadline for filing construction defect claims in Florida, Sean Ravenel at Foran Glennon discusses how the state's new statute of repose has changed the timeline, and highlights several related issues that property owners should be aware of.
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Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer
There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.
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Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge at Robinson Bradshaw.
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Circuit Judge Writes An Opinion, AI Helps: What Now?
Last week's Eleventh Circuit opinion in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance, notable for a concurrence outlining the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate a term's common meaning, is hopefully the first step toward developing a coherent basis for the judiciary's generative AI use, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.
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Ohio Tax Talk: The Legislative Push For Property Tax Relief
As Ohio legislators attempt to alleviate the increasing property tax burden, four recent bills that could significantly affect homeowners propose to eliminate replacement property tax levies, freeze property taxes for longtime homeowners, adjust homestead exemptions annually for inflation, and temporarily expand the homestead exemption, say Raghav Agnihotri and Rachael Chamberlain at Frost Brown.
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Tips For Advising CRE Owners Affected By Houston Storms
As Houston residents begin the arduous process of recovery after this month's devastating storms, attorneys should guide commercial real estate owners and managers toward immediate action under their insurance coverage to facilitate restoration and a return to normalcy, says Justin Ratley at Munsch Hardt.
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Playing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My deep and passionate involvement in playing, writing and producing music equipped me with skills — like creativity, improvisation and problem-solving — that contribute to the success of my legal career, says attorney Kenneth Greene.
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How Real Estate Cos. Can Protect Their IP In The Metaverse
The rise of virtual and augmented reality creates new intellectual property challenges and opportunities for real estate owners, but certain steps, including conducting a diligence investigation to develop an understanding of current obligations, can help companies mitigate IP issues in the metaverse, says George Pavlik at Levenfeld Pearlstein.
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Ga. Law Creates Challenges For Foreign Ownership Of Land
Under Georgia's new law limiting certain foreign possessory interests in agricultural land and land near military properties, affected foreign persons and entities will need to do significantly more work in order to ensure that their ownership remains legal, say Nellie Sullivan and Lindsey Grubbs at Holland & Knight.