Commercial, Residential, Institutional, Industrial, Hotel Properties
Our attorneys have experience in all types of real estate projects, including commercial, residential, institutional, industrial and hotel properties. Our experience allows us to advise our clients on the distinct nuances involved in dealing with each type of property.
Representative Transactions
Advised Qatar National Hotels Company with respect to the renewal of the key agreements for the operations of the Ritz-Doha Hotel.
Represented the developer of a major project in Qatari Diar’s Lusail Entertainment District, Qatar (approximately 1 million square meters).
Acted for several of Qatar’s largest real estate development companies, including Qatari Diar and United Development Company, on projects both inside and outside of Qatar.
Represented a leading UAE-based real estate developer on two very large real estate developments in Saudi Arabia, including conducting full legal due diligence on legal issues relating to real estate developments in Saudi Arabia including rules on foreign investments, land acquisition, expropriation issues, buildings laws, tenancy and leasing rules, environmental regime, corporate and commercial issues, labor issues and insurance requirements.
Advised a regional quasi-governmental real estate company on the establishment of a DIFC holding company for its international real estate projects in relation to the restructuring of the assets and raising more than $700 million in new capital, and a subsequent joint venture with a leading GCC real estate company for the master planning and urban development of an area of waterfront in the UAE in conjunction with the government of an Emirate of the UAE.
Represented a leading UAE developer on a large mixed use real estate project in the North Coast, Egypt, in negotiating the investment agreement and all rights granted to the project with the general authority for investment and free zones in Egypt.
Represented a leading UAE-based real estate developer on a large real estate residential development in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Conducted full legal due diligence on legal issues relating to real estate developments in Saudi Arabia, including rules on foreign investments, land acquisition, expropriation issues, building laws, tenancy and leasing rules, environmental regime, corporate and commercial issues, labor issues and insurance requirements.
Represented a listed UAE property developer in the acquisition of land in Texas, setting up a SPV to conduct business in the United States and in the development of multi-use towers on the land.
Retained by a listed UAE property developer to advise on all developments and projects outside of the UAE. Advised on projects in a number of GCC countries.
Represented a leading UAE-based real estate developer on a large real estate residential development in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and LaSalle Investment Management: Advised on the acquisition by forward purchase of an office building in France (€170 million) from Nexity (a leading French commercial real estate developer) and on the acquisition financing from Hypo Real Estate.
Acted for NM Rothschild in the redevelopment and financing of its new £100 million headquarters building at New Court in St. Swithin’s Lane, London. We advised on the construction agreements and financing, including matters such as title, construction issues, professional appointments, zoning/planning and heritage issues, negotiations with neighbours, rights of light and all other general development issues.
Advised one of the major investing consortia (on the purchaser side) in the development of Hafen City project in Hamburg. The objective of this project, at Hamburg harbor next to the historic harbor and Old Warehouse District, is to create a new waterfront city center with harbor ambiance for housing, offices, culture, tourism and shopping.
Represented the owner of properties in Almaty and Astana, Kazakhstan, in the negotiation with Accor Group of contracts relating to the construction and management of hotels and associated licensing of the Novotel trademark.
Four Seasons Project, Kazakhstan – Advised on the construction aspects of a hotel and villa project in Almaty for a large local investment group in Kazakhstan. The project is a luxury compound with a hotel and villas in a prestigious location in Almaty. Completion is targeted to coincide with the 2011 Asian Winter Games to be hosted in Almaty, following a tight 45 month construction program. Our involvement includes advising in relation to the Project Management Agreement (PMA) between APD and a Korean firm. The PMA was based on the FIDIC White Book with the governing law as Kazakh law. We have also drafted the turnkey construction contract, based on FIDIC Silver Book.
Represented the owner of a office building in New York City in the historically sensitive renovation of the building, which resulted in the listing of the building on the National Register of Historic Places. This project included a complete renovation of all interiors and building systems and restoration of the façade.
Represented the developer of a hotel in Almaty, Kazakhstan in the negotiation of construction consulting agreements with a major international hotel operator, relating to the construction, interior fit-out and furnishing of the hotel.
Represented the owner of a historic loft building in New York City in the conversion of the building to luxury condominiums. We negotiated the architect and construction contracts and worked with the client’s consultants to obtain the necessary approvals from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to add a floor to the building and restore the cast iron façade.
Advised the City of St. Petersburg on the Pulkovo Airport Expansion project by means of a Public Private Partnership, one of the first PPP projects in Russia. Pulkovo is St. Petersburg’s main airport and the third largest in Russia. The PPP scheme will see the upgrade and expansion of the airport’s infrastructure to boost forecasted capacity requirements, increasing passenger volumes and air traffic growth over the next 25-30 years, including a new passenger terminal, which will generate over $1 billion for the city of St. Petersburg.
Advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on its provision of secured financing for the $30 million development of “Nevsky 25”, a Class A office and retail building on historic Nevsky Prospect in St. Petersburg. The project involved the renovation of an 18th-century building classified as a historic landmark. Nevsky 25 is a five-story complex of about 8,100 square meters.
Advising EBRD on its provision of secured financing for the $29 million development of “Nevsky 49”, a 164-room business standard hotel located on Nevsky Prospect in St. Petersburg.
Advised the Government of Hungary (Ministry of Transport, Communication and Water Management) in connection with the proposed development, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the M-3/M-30 tollway running from Budapest to the Ukrainian Frontier. The project was structured as a concession to a consortium of builders and operators. As part of this project, we worked closely with a multilateral financial institution in developing a unique public/private joint venture structure for use in toll motorway projects in Central and Eastern Europe.
Advised the Republic of Croatia on the refinancing of the first phase of the Istrian toll motorway and the financing of the construction, operation and maintenance of the second phase of the motorway under a concession granted to BINA-ISTRA d.d. Pula, a company majority-owned and controlled by leading French contractor, Bouygues Travaux Publics. This was the first project bond for a Central and Eastern European transaction. It was also the first dual-listed bond for Croatia. This transaction was designated in 2004 by Project Finance magazine as “Deal of the Year – Europe, Middle East and Africa”.
Advised PWC Logistics of Kuwait in relation to the redevelopment of a cargo terminal at Aqaba Airport, Jordan;
Advised the City of Kraków in connection with the negotiation and execution of the financing documentation with a multilateral financial institution for the development of a high-speed tram system.
Advised Atomstroyexport (ASE) (parent Gazprombank), as EPC contractor for the Belene Nuclear Power Plant in Bulgaria comprising 2 x 1000MW reactors. The site contains equipment and structures relating to a previous nuclear power plant on which construction was suspended in 1990. The project is to cost up to 4 billion euros.
Advised a bidder in relation to the development of two power projects in South Africa, including advising on the selection of the construction contractor and the construction contracts.
Advised the sponsors on the first IPP to be project financed in Nigeria, including drafting and negotiating construction contracts for the power station, transmission lines and sub-stations.
Advised CSFB and the Bulgarian Privatisation Authority in relation to the privatization of three power stations in Bulgaria, including advising (in conjunction with environmental specialists) on environmental issues.
Advised Pakistan lenders, led by ING, on all aspects of the Gul Ahmed Power Project, a 135 MW power project in Karachi, including advising on the onshore and offshore construction contracts and wrapping contract.