Related Practices

Admitted to Practice

Washington, 1981

Warren Koons

Partner

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Bellevue

T425.646.6117

F425.646.6199

M425.985.9196

Warren Koons practices commercial real estate law, with an emphasis on purchase and sale, exchange, leasing and secured financing transactions for various types of commercial properties, including timberland, industrial, retail, office, hospital/medical, mixed-use, and agricultural. His practice includes deferred and reverse like-kind exchanges of real property. Warren also counsels clients on a wide range of real property issues, such as easements, adverse possession, boundary problems, rights-of-way, logging contracts, licenses, options, title matters, and the rights and obligations of land owners.

Representative Experience

Acquisition, disposition, and financing of timberlands for Port Blakely Tree Farms, Green Crow Corp., Pope Resources, Conservation Forestry, TIMOs, and timberland investment companies

Acquisition, disposition, exchange, and financing of PNW timberlands. In 2011, assisted a German investment company in the purchase of the 15,000 acre Stewart Mountain Tree Farm. In 2009, assisted PBTF in the exchange of timberlands in five counties with the Washington Department of Natural Resources and long-term financing secured by the company's timberlands. In 2008, assisted Hancock Natural Resources Group in the purchase of 114,000 acres of Oregon timberlands. (Ongoing)

Disposition of land for development or re-development

On behalf of Plywood Supply, Inc., Eiford Family Properties, and other businesses, family-owned LLCs and trusts, sales or exchanges of developable agricultural or industrial property or re-developable property, including structuring, positioning and marketing of properties for sale to developers and corporate end-users for residential, office, multi-family, mixed-use, commercial and corporate headquarters development. (1986-present)

Acquisition of real property for Tateuchi Center - Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE)

Acquisition of land and exclusive-use easement rights, development, financing and construction of 2,000 seat performing arts center as part of a mixed-use project in downtown Bellevue, Wash. and negotiation of grant funding agreement with the City of Bellevue. (2008-present)

Multi-site real estate acquisitions as part of business acquisition for ProBuild Holdings

Acquisition or leasing of commercial, retail and industrial real estate throughout the U.S. in connection with numerous acquisitions of lumber, building materials and home component manufacturing businesses. (2001-present)

Disposition of commercial lease portfolio for Associated Grocers, Inc.

Assignment, termination and other disposition of grocery store lease and sublease portfolio on a site-by-site basis. (2007-present)

Commercial leases for International Pacific Halibut Commission, SCOLR Pharma, Inc., Danielson Harrigan Leyh & Tollefson LLP, and SNC-Lavalin Constructors Inc.

Negotiation of a storage and research equipment repair facility lease with the Port of Seattle for an intergovernmental organization, a suburban office/lab/warehouse lease for a pharmaceutical company, a high-rise office lease for a Seattle law firm, and a suburban office lease for an international engineering company. (2011; 2009; 2005)

Commercial real estate mortgage loan transactions for Symetra Life Insurance Company

Commercial mortgage loan transactions across the U.S. secured by a variety of different types of commercial real property. (2010-present)

Acquisition of electric distribution facilities for California Pacific Electric Company, LLC

Acquisition of electric distribution facilities and related real property by electric power company for a region in Northern California. (2009-2010)

Disposition of cold storage facility for Seafreeze Limited Partnership

Disposition of leasehold real estate interest in Port of Seattle property in connection with sale of cold storage business. (2008)

Purchase of senior living facility for On Lok Senior Health Services

Acquisition of commercial building in San Jose, Calif., for conversion into senior living facility. (2008)

Sale/leaseback of industrial/corporate office property for Associated Grocers, Inc.

Auction sale and leaseback of 52-acre corporate office and warehouse facility campus in Seattle. (2007)

Acquisition of apartment building for The Salvation Army

Acquisition of apartment building for conversion to an emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence. (2007)

Purchase of industrial property for manufacturing site for Cameron Family Glass Packaging, LLC

Acquisition of undeveloped industrial property in Cowlitz County, Wash., for development of a bottle manufacturing facility. (2007)

Sale of shopping center for family-owned partnership

Sale of suburban shopping center and restructuring of family partnership. (2004)

Bargain sale of ranch property to environmental groups for The Fish Ranch Trust

Bargain sale with charitable gift component of 9,900 acres of undeveloped property near Carmel, Calif., to The Nature Conservancy and The Big Sur Land Trust for conversion of ranch into state park. (2003)

Professional & Community Activities

Executive Committee Advisor (2009-present) – Tateuchi Center, Performing Arts Center Eastside
Board Member (1999-present) and Past Chair and Executive Committee Member (2001-2008) – Bellevue Downtown Association
Executive Committee Member (2006-present) and Board Member (2003-present) – Seattle/King County Advisory Board, The Salvation Army
Chair, Real Property Section (1992-present) – East King County Bar Association
Past Chair and Executive Committee Member (1999-2004) – Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, Washington State Bar Association

Professional Recognition

Named one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" in Real Estate Law(Washington) by Chambers USA, 2005-2012
Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Real Estate Law by Best Lawyers, 2007-present
Selected to "Washington Super Lawyers" in Real Estate Law, Thomson Reuters, 2012
Named as one of the "Best Lawyers in Seattle," Seattle Metropolitan magazine