Cases
Representative Cases/Matters: John's lending experience includes: Real Estate secured mortgage financing, including l
loans, development loans, construction lending, FHLMC multi-family loans, mezzanine financing, permanent financing
distressed lending
Loan workouts, forbearance arrangements, mortgage foreclosures, deed-in-lieu of foreclosure arrangements,
receiverships
Lender liability claims
Non-recourse financing
Loans to Non-Profit borrowers
Community Redevelopment Loans
Asset Based Loans
John's real estate practice also includes: Construction Contracts, Construction liens,
Contract Disputes
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use, platting, zoning
permitting
Property Owners Associations
Sales Contracts
Commercial Leasing
Agricultural Use Classification
Real Estate Tax Appeals
Title claims
Recent real estate development projects include: Valiente Polo Farm (equestrian polo facility), Wellington, FL
Zacara Farm (equestrian polo facility), Wellington, FL
Tonkawa Farm (equestrian polo facility), Wellington, FL
TM Window & Door Factory (industrial manufacturing building), Pompano Beach, FL
Magnolia Court (urban renewal townhome project), West Palm Beach, FL
The Equestrian Club (residential
equestrian project), Wellington, FL
Pineapple Ridge (office
apartment project), Melbourne, FL
Royal Palm Business Center (industrial warehouse project), Pompano Beach, FL
Lake Point Ranches (residential
equestrian project), Martin County, FL
Michael's Creek (residential waterfront project), Vero Beach, FL
Jan Pamela Farms (equestrian polo facility), Wellington, FL
Everglades Polo (equestrian polo facility), Wellington, FL
Outback Polo (residential
equestrian polo projects), Wellington, FL
Cannery Row (townhome project), Delray Beach, FL
Other significant real estate matters include: In 2004, John pioneered the first sale of Transferable Development Rights under the City of West Palm Beach's Historic Preservation Program on behalf of the Diocese of Palm Beach. It resulted in the transfer of over 200,000 square feet of Air Rights to Kolter Properties for the construction of a 20-story residential condominium in downtown West Palm Beach.
In 2008, John represented a national lender in the foreclosure
ultimate bankruptcy sale of a failed waterfront condominium project.
In 2009, John represented a national lender in the foreclosure
/or workout of over 100 million in failed residential development mortgage loans.
In 2009, John negotiated a Public/Private agreement with the South Florida Water Management District
Martin County, Florida for the creation of a public stormwater management facility
recreation area on 2,200 acres, reserving 20 year mining rights for his client during the excavation of the facility.
In 2010, John negotiated over 50 million in New Market Tax Credit mortgage financings for an aggregate rock mining project,
later assisted with EB-5 Financing for related mining
trucking operations.
From 2010 to 2016, John represented several national Private Equity Lenders in over 50 million of Hard Equity loans for distressed commercial real estate projects.
From 2012 to 2016, John negotiated over 180 million in construction financing for several large apartment projects containing approximately 900 units.
In 2016, John negotiated the buyout of a national REIT as part of the 27 million recapitalization of an investment partnership owning over 1 million square feet of multi-tenant industrial properties.
In 2016, John negotiated the 27 million sale
subordinated purchase money financing for Zacara Farm.
In 2016, John negotiated the 30 million sale of Gulfstream Polo Club to Pulte Homes for redevelopment as a residential P.U.D.
In 2016, John negotiated the acquisition
redevelopment of a 135 room Airport Hotel
IHOP Restaurant ground lease, including senior mortgage financing
a subordinated SBA renovation loan.
From 2012 to 2016, John represented national lenders in over 100 million of senior secured real estate loans
participations for commercial projects, including multi-family construction loans, mixed use projects
retail centers.
In 2017, John closed approximately 50 Million of l
development loans for Single Family Projects on behalf of a national private equity lender.
In 2017, John represented high net worth buyers
seller in over 40 Million of residential properties.
In 2017, John represented a national developer of retail centers in the 46 Million refinancing of a retail center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
In 2017, John represented the buyers
sellers of several polo farms in Wellington, Florida.
In 2017, John represented the buyer/developer of a self storage building in Delray Beach, Florida, including zoning
subdivision approvals.
In 2017, John obtained County zoning
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use approvals for a distributor of compressed atmospheric gases.
In 2017, John represented a contractor in the successful enforcement of a 1 Million construction lien on a hotel project in Miami Beach, Florida.
In 2017, John represented the developer in the re-platting of a large equestrian lot in Wellington, Florida.
In 2017, John successfully appealed the denial of an Agricultural Classification for a equestrian facility in Wellington, Florida owned as a condominium.
In 2017, John represented a developer of large Multi-Family Apartment projects in the construction
financing of several projects throughout South Florida.
In 2017, John represented several contractors in the negotiation of construction contracts in excess of 25 Million of work.
In 2018, John represented the developer of a prominent Palm Beach Gardens retail center in the 88 million sale to a national REIT. John also has substantial experience in the aircraft industry, including: Aircraft leasing
finance
Purchase
sale of aircraft, including IRS Section 1031 Exchanges
Aircraft Management Agreements
From 2002 to 2008, John managed a complex mass tort litigation against the government of Libya on behalf of the owner of a DC-10 aircraft which was destroyed,
the families of the seven (7) American passengers who were killed, when a suitcase bomb planted by Libyan agents exploded over the Niger desert in North Africa in 1989 (UTA Flight 772). In 2008, the U.S. District Court, District of Columbia entered a 1.7 Billion judgment against the government of Libya, ultimately resulting in Congress's passage of the Libyan Claims Resolution Act (LCRA) to settle all claims of American nationals (including the Pan Am Lockerbie
LaBelle Disco bombings)
to normalize commercial
diplomatic relations between the United States
the government of Libya. Since the passage of the LCRA, John has assisted with the filing
successful prosecution of approximately 100 million of claims with the U.S. Department of State
the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission on behalf of the aircraft owner
the families of the American passengers. In 2017, the book, The Forgotten Flight, chronicled the UTA 772 litigation
its impact on international relations with Libya. The book was favorably reviewed in the Wall Street Journal:
