Admitted to Practice | California, 1988 | | Oregon, 2008 |
| Steve provides legal, business and strategic advice with a focus on real estate, land use and telecommunications. His passion is solving the regulatory, political, relational and financial challenges required to create places of distinction and enhance communications and understanding. Examples include the Intercontinental “The Clement” Monterey, The Inn at the 5th, Cavallo Point, and Huy Fong Headquarters.
Steve enjoys mentoring and teaching, and regularly serves as a lecturer and panelist, including at the American Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), American Lodging Conference, American Planning Association (APA), Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), Cellular Telephone Industry Association (CTIA), and mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) conferences. He learns as much from his clients and cohorts as they do from him.
Steve represents developers, owners and operators of hotels, high end restaurants, transit-oriented multifamily projects and all manner of mixed use development, including in successful public private partnership with local governments. He has also represented these clients in billions of dollars of real estate financing with counterparties such as Goldman Sachs, Chase Manhattan, Morgan Stanley, GMAC, GECC, AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust, Wells Fargo, EuroHypo, Rabobank, and others. Steve has a knack of helping clients structure and close equity and debt financing and maximizing public participation in challenging economic times. Selected Experience Represent APIC in the acquisition of two boutique hotels in San Francisco, including some 'off market'. APIC is considering several new major purchases. (Ongoing) Represent Republic Solar with the development of a 15 Megawatt (MW) solar power system in Santa Clara County, California, in the first phase of a larger effort to create solar projects throughout the state in unused public right-of-way. Assisted with negotiation of an exclusive agreement with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for over 65 acres within their state freeway system; a power purchase agreement with an investor-owned utility; and filings at the CPUC. (Ongoing) Representing Tom Drumheller in the development of a new 100 room boutique hotel in Richland, Wash., to be called the Columbia Point Lodge. Assist in creating and negotiating the structure and returns of equity investors, the long-term ground lease with the City, and construction loan. (Ongoing) Obtain land use permits for telecommunications facilities sited on private property and in the public right of way and on utility poles; obtained hundreds of permits in the first instance and on appeal on behalf of nearly all of the major wireless carriers. (Ongoing) Represent restaurant landlords and tenants with lease and celebrity chef agreements. Restaurants have included Café de la Presse, Leopolds San Francisco, Fifth Floor, Hotel Palomar; Spire Restaurant, Nine Zero; Aqua Restaurant, Hotel Bellagio; Redwood Park, TransAmerica Pyramid; Fillmore Grill & Cafe Metropol, San Francisco; Ozumo and Pican Restaurants, Oakland; and Piatti Restaurant, Roseville. (Ongoing) On behalf of Republic Urban Properties and Barry Swenson Builder negotiated land acquisition from the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority for the development of a LEED certified, high-density, mixed-use, transit-oriented development with approximately 800 residential units in midtown San Jose. Work includes advocacy for all land use entitlements, contracting and environmental matters; negotiation of disposition and development agreement (DDA) with VTA. This is the largest multifamily project in the largest Bay Area City. Construction for phase one planned for summer 2013. (Ongoing) Republic Urban properties closed on the first phase of industrial land purchase pre-zoned for conversion to mixed use retail-multifamily. (Ongoing) Represent Republic Urban Properties in the development of a 240 unit transit oriented multifamily development. Played a critical role in the land assemblage and acquisition. Working with team to close equity finance and construction loan. Construction anticipated to start summer 2012. (Ongoing) Negotiated lease subordination document and parking agreements for new Sundance Cinemas at Houston's Bayou Place (which opened November 2011) and Sunset Boulevard. (Ongoing) Represented Decurion in the complicated purchase of an assisted living facility in receivership from Wells Fargo Bank. (2011) Represented produce grower in the negotiation and closing of a $50 million credit facility from Rabobank NA for the acquisition of approximately 221 acres of open farmland located near Santa Maria, Calif., and the construction, completion, ownership and operation of a 64 acre greenhouse and associated vegetable packing, cooling and shipping facilities. (2011) Represented Brian Obie, developer of the Inn at the 5th, a 68-room boutique hotel in Eugene, Ore., in the structure and returns of equity investors, private placement memorandum, long-term ground lease, hotel management contract, and review of all financing documents, including obtaining a critical subordination agreement from the existing lender on the fee land. Opening December 2011. Read more about the deal here. This is one of only a handful of hotels to be developed during the severe economic downturn. (2010) Represented Chef Russell Jackson in the negotiation of a lease for a prime waterfront location on Pier 5, selected by the San Francisco Bay Times as the real estate deal of 2010 in the restaurant category. Restaurant Lafite will be a prime location for America’s Cup viewing in 2013. (2010) Represent developer of two new beachside restaurants in Malibu, Calif., including negotiation of long-term leases with restaurant operators, and negotiations of architect and contractor agreements. (2010) Counsel to Oregon Restaurateur of the Year David Machado. Helped Mr. Machado structure lease, financing and tenant improvement package for new Portland eatery success story, Nel Centro. (2009) Additional Qualifications
- Founder, Ledoux Esquire Inc., San Francisco
- Senior Vice President, Syndication/Business Development, Mondo Media, San Francisco
- Partner, Mackenzie & Albritton LLP, San Francisco
- Associate, Graham & James LLP, San Francisco
- Staff Attorney, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Jacksonville, Fla.
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Professional and Community Activities
- Board Member, Lan Su Chinese Garden
- Counsel, Marin Agricultural Land Trust & Regeneration Project
- Past Corporate Counsel, Board of Directors, Jazz in Flight, Children in Flight
- Tri-County Lodging Association
- Washington State Lodging Association
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Education J.D., Harvard Law School, 1985, cum laude B.A., American Studies, University of Notre Dame, 1981, summa cum laude
- Dedicated Service and Leadership Award
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