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Practices

Biography

John focuses his practice on commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions and sales, development projects, financing, leasing and construction contracting. He also represents a number of privately held corporate clients on general business matters.

John has served as developer’s counsel in the site acquisition, financing and leasing of shopping center projects in multiple states, and in acquiring and re-positioning existing centers. He has also represented project anchors in lease and REA negotiations. He has represented multiple clients as borrower’s counsel in negotiating and closing CMBS and life insurance company mortgage loans on retail, hotel and multi-family properties.

John’s leasing experience includes representation of both landlords and tenants in significant office, industrial and retail leases. He has represented both public and privately held companies with regard to their ongoing real estate needs, including due diligence investigation and acquisition of new sites, office and warehouse leasing and disposition of excess property. John has represented several regional banks in negotiating and closing construction loans for retail, office, hotel and apartment projects.

John has significant experience negotiating and drafting construction-related agreements, including construction contracts, site development agreements, architect agreements, construction management agreements and design-build contracts.

John is a licensed title insurance agent in the State of Ohio, and a Manager of the firm’s affiliated title agency, Multi-State Title Agency, LLC.

Other Info About John

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Representation of owner in negotiating $63MM design-build construction contract for corporate operations center.

Representation of multi-family developer in land acquisition, construction financing and permanent financing of new apartment communities in Ohio and Kentucky.

Representation of anchor retailer in renegotiation of enclosed mall REA to accommodate redevelopment of site as a mixed-use project.

Representation of both publicly-traded and private manufacturing companies in disposition of closed plants and leasing of bulk warehouse/distribution space.

Representation of landlords and tenants in numerous anchor, mini-anchor, small shop and restaurant tenant leases across the U.S., including leases for department stores, grocery stores and clothing and discount retailers.

Representation of lenders, investors and owners in connection with urban, mixed-use projects involving vertical subdivisions, air rights parcels, public parking, ground leases and TIFs.

Representation of tenants in numerous office, call center and industrial lease transactions around the U.S.

Representation of developers and investors in the formation and negotiation of joint ventures for real estate developments.

Representation of tenants in the negotiation of numerous anchor office leases and work letters for Class A buildings, including downtown and suburban locations.

Representation of affordable housing developer in the acquisition and financing of 170-unit apartment community.

Representation of owner/investor in multi-year disposition of portfolio of 25+ net-leased assets including CMBS loan assumption.

Representation of developer in land acquisition, anchor parcel sales, development and leasing of shopping centers in Kentucky, Iowa, Ohio, South Dakota and North Carolina.

Representation of national banks in numerous acquisition, construction and mini-perm loans for hotel, office, land development, multi-family project and mixed-use.

Representation of borrower in closing $45MM+ CMBS loan secured by shopping centers in six states, and in numerous other single-center CMBS loans.

Representation of developer in ongoing acquisition program involving grocery-anchored retail centers in multiple states, and in disposition of centers.

Representation of borrower in complex workout including deed-in-lieu transaction, settlement with mortgage and mezzanine lenders and creation of new JV ownership and management structure.

Representation of owners and tenants in negotiating stipulated sum, cost-plus with GMP and design-build construction contracts, and in negotiation of design contracts.

Education

Law School

George Washington University Law School, J.D., 1989

Undergraduate School

University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1986, cum laude

Bar Memberships

John is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Ohio, 1989

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law, 2011-2025, “Lawyer of the Year,” 2020

AV® Rated, Martindale-Hubbell®

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Cincinnati Bar Association

Ohio State Bar Association

American Bar Association, Real Property Section

International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati, Board of Trustees, Secretary

Talbert House Fatherhood Luncheon, Planning Committee

Firm Committees

John serves or has served in the following leadership role(s) at Frost Brown Todd:

Opinion Committee, Member

Compensation Committee, former Chair

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