Real Estate Department

The Real Estate Department has extensive experience in all types of real estate developments - residential, commercial and industrial.  We help homebuyers.  The Firm's real estate lawyers represent corporate, institutional, entrepreneurial and public clients in development, acquisition, sales, leasing and financing transactions.  This experience includes the responsibility for negotiating and finalizing agreements involving long-term leases for shopping centers, office buildings and individual commercial establishments.  The lawyers in the department enjoy a unique reputation for success in real estate tax assessment appeals, as well as in eminent domain proceedings.

Zoning, land use and related matters are also an extensive part of the practice and include planning commission negotiations and litigation of related issues.  Because we represent a number of commercial banks and savings and loan associations, we have developed a wide range of expertise in negotiating and preparing loan documents involving collateralized real estate.  This experience also includes industrial loan development documentation.   The Firm also represents both secured and unsecured lenders and borrowers in restructuring troubled loan facilities, foreclosures, bankruptcy proceedings and lender liability litigation.

• Brokers' Issues, Licensing, Liens

• Condemnation Law

• Condominium Law

• Conveyancing

• Contracts

• Development

• Easements

• Finance

• Foreclosure

• Land Acquisition & Sale

• Land Planning & Development

• Leases

• Litigation

• Loan Documentation

• Partnership

• Planned Unit Development Law

• Real Estate Acquisitions

• Restructuring

• Sales

• Secured Lending

• Settlements

• Tax Assessment Appeals

• Tax Free Exchange

• Title Issues & Examination

• Valuation

RECENT REAL ESTATE REPRESENTATIONS

The lawyers in the Real Estate Department have broad experience representing clients in the acquisition and development of various properties.  Recently, our real estate lawyers have represented clients in the following matters:

• Represented foreign Buyer in major ($33 Million) acquisition of large industrial complex. 

• Coordinated examination of loan documents from foreign lender with Massachusetts branch. 

• Reviewed and prepared new documentation of leases for multiple tenants and coordinated receipt of multiple permits from Local, State and Federal agencies.

• Representation of a major regional builder in the assemblage of a 70 acre tract and a 30 acre tract for housing developments.

• Representation of a municipal authority in the marketing and sale of a 40 acre parcel of land for retail development.  Value of land in excess of $9,000,000.

• Representation of a local company in the acquisition and financing of a 50,000 square foot industrial warehouse.

• Representation of the owner of two class A office buildings in Center City Philadelphia in real estate tax assessment appeals resulting in reductions of assessments of over $45,000,000.

• Representation of an owner of a transmission tower and the owners of various buildings in the negotiation of more than ten antenna leases.

• Representation of a national bank in real estate tax assessment appeals involving over 50 properties in Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks Counties.

• Representation of a regional bank in the extension of an acquisition and working capital loan facility in excess of $2,000,000 to a car dealership.

Murray S. Eckell
Chair of the Department
610-565-3700, ext. 242
meckell@eckellsparks.com

Stephen J. Polaha
610-565-3700, ext. 245
spolaha@eckellsparks.com