Leasing
Wilk Auslander’s leasing group is a well-established and nationally recognized leader in leasing transactions. We represent both landlords and tenants in a broad-based leasing practice, regularly negotiating sophisticated and complex commercial leases in office buildings, shopping centers, industrial buildings and mixed-use projects, including “build to suit” leases, construction contracts and architect’s agreements. Commercial leasing is a highly specialized area of real estate law. Often overlooked, a commercial lease can be one of a company’s most critical (and costly) assets. Unlike most commercial transactions, which end when the contract is signed, the agreement between landlord and tenant is a dynamic, fluid relationship that can last for many years. To maximize value and minimize hidden costs and risk exposure, we negotiate lasting and durable lease documents.
We are pragmatic, practical-minded business lawyers, not just legal technicians. As a trusted advisor, our clients regularly consult us early in the leasing process to assist with legal questions as well as the structure and negotiation of the underlying business deal. Our effectiveness is based on our legal expertise and deep knowledge and understanding of our client’s businesses and the financial and operational impact that leasing decisions can have on our clients’ business operations.
For our landlord clients, we have developed forms over many years of representation, that provide clarity, consistency and uniformity in our leases. For our tenant clients, we have developed comprehensive approaches to real estate portfolio management, including implementing standard form leases, subleases, letters of intent, and requests for proposals, leading to consistency and overall cost-containment.
Overview
Wilk Auslander’s leasing group is a well-established and nationally recognized leader in leasing transactions. We represent both landlords and tenants in a broad-based leasing practice, regularly negotiating sophisticated and complex commercial leases in office buildings, shopping centers, industrial buildings and mixed-use projects, including “build to suit” leases, construction contracts and architect’s agreements. Commercial leasing is a highly specialized area of real estate law. Often overlooked, a commercial lease can be one of a company’s most critical (and costly) assets. Unlike most commercial transactions, which end when the contract is signed, the agreement between landlord and tenant is a dynamic, fluid relationship that can last for many years. To maximize value and minimize hidden costs and risk exposure, we negotiate lasting and durable lease documents.
We are pragmatic, practical-minded business lawyers, not just legal technicians. As a trusted advisor, our clients regularly consult us early in the leasing process to assist with legal questions as well as the structure and negotiation of the underlying business deal. Our effectiveness is based on our legal expertise and deep knowledge and understanding of our client’s businesses and the financial and operational impact that leasing decisions can have on our clients’ business operations.
For our landlord clients, we have developed forms over many years of representation, that provide clarity, consistency and uniformity in our leases. For our tenant clients, we have developed comprehensive approaches to real estate portfolio management, including implementing standard form leases, subleases, letters of intent, and requests for proposals, leading to consistency and overall cost-containment.
Representative Matters
- Representing and serving as ongoing real estate counsel for one of the largest professional services firms in the U.S. in the leasing and disposition of office and other space throughout the United States.
- Representing and serving as ongoing real estate counsel for one of the largest media and market measurement companies in the world in connection with all its real estate requirements including leasing and disposition of office space in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. This included recent large leases in Corsico, Italy; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Sydney, Australia; and Singapore.
- Represented a professional services firm in connection with the leasing of a 250,000-square-foot build-to-suit office building in Tampa, FL.
- Represented a professional services firm in connection with the leasing of 280,000 square feet of office space in a major office building in Chicago, IL.
- Represented a worldwide media and market measurement company in (i) acquiring, developing, financing, and leasing of a 39-acre, 600,000-square-foot worldwide technology center outside of Tampa, Florida, and (ii) negotiating a lease of 465,000 square feet of office space for its U.S. headquarters in New York City.
- Ongoing representation of a prominent fitness club chain in a national leasing program.
- Represented a preferred developer of a national chain drugstore in numerous acquisitions and ground leases of properties throughout the New York City metropolitan area for development and leasing to the drugstore tenant.
- Represented a regional shopping center developer in a 75,000-square-foot lease with national retailer.
- Represented numerous hedge funds and private equity firms in various leases of Class A Plaza District office buildings.
- Ongoing representation of a regional supermarket in shopping center leases.
- Primary leasing attorneys for New York City developer/landlord controlling more than 9,000,000 square feet of office, retail and residential space in Manhattan.
- Assisted a major national retail clothing company in the leasing of approximately 350,000 square feet of office space in Midtown Manhattan for its global headquarters.
- Represented a building owner in a lease for approximately 400,000 square feet of office and retail space in a downtown office building to a major investment banking firm for its new world-wide headquarters.
- Represented a developer/landlord in the leasing of a retail shopping mall space to national, regional and local tenants in Washington DC and New York City.
- Represented a New York-based bank in a national branch bank leasing program.
- Assisted in the relocation of a European country's permanent mission to the United Nations to new office space in Midtown.