Real Estate

Gordon Feinblatt has played an integral role in the development of commercial real estate throughout Maryland and the surrounding region since the Firm’s founding in 1953.

We leverage our significant experience to provide a multidisciplinary approach for our clients when structuring, planning and implementing transactions that involve buying, selling, developing, owning, operating, leasing and constructing all types of projects.

The Real Estate Team represents local and national real estate developers, owners, operators, managers, investors and commercial lenders. Matters on which the Team has worked include the Baltimore Inner Harbor, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, M&T Bank Stadium, Metro Centre at Owings Mills, Mondawmin Mall and the Port of Baltimore.

The Team is experienced in all aspects of project financing, including acquisition, development, construction, permanent loans (both public and private) and rendering opinion letters. We provide counsel regarding real estate investments and securities that involve private placement with outside, passive investors, including advice regarding Securities and Exchange Commission regulations and compliance.

We have vast experience in dealing with Maryland’s high recordation and transfer taxes, which are imposed at the state and local levels, and we have been able to structure financing and purchase transactions in ways that eliminate or substantially reduce these taxes. Our lawyers frequently serve as local counsel on matters involving Maryland real property, working with out-of-state lawyers in representing borrowers and lenders as Maryland counsel on financing transactions and with sellers and buyers in purchase transactions. When we serve as Maryland counsel for borrowers, we apply our knowledge of recordation and transfer tax laws and exceptions to assist the parties, and we often render opinion letters to the lenders covering matters about their borrowers and their loans, including enforceability of the loan documents. 

Our lawyers also advise both borrowers and lenders in the work-out and restructure of loans, ranging from residential development loans to major commercial development and construction loans, including troubled projects. Members of our Team have significant experience in workouts, foreclosures, deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure, receiverships and bankruptcy proceedings.

Our Team represents both landlords and tenants in leasing and ground leasing arrangements for retail (including shopping centers), office, industrial, warehousing and flex spaces. We represent condominium and homeowners’ associations, as well as developers and owners of multifamily housing cooperatives.

Our team is also very familiar and closely following the new climate change rules in Maryland and how that will impact building requirements. Our team most recently spoke at the International Facility Management Association's Chesapeake Chapter's program on how Maryland's proposed regulations are expected to be adopted for Maryland buildings and future Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS).

Watch or listen to this video for more information from Michael Powell and Danielle Zoller.

Virtually, every commercial real estate transaction must deal with potential environmental liabilitiesin the face of rapidly changing environmental standards. In fact, many transactions cannot proceed without creative solutions to seemingly intractable environmental problems. We assist clients to overcome environmental hurdles encountered during the acquisition or development of real estate, the acquisition of companies, and the financing of commercial loans. We also advise on compliance with climate change regulations for building owners.

Tax  considerations, which are often complex, are integral to every real estate transaction. Our tax lawyers provide advice and insight on structuring transactions and real estate matters including property re-evaluations, agricultural use treatment, negotiating tax abatements as inducements for industrial and urban development, and pursuing real property tax appeals. Our team advises on tax mitigation strategies, succession planning and we also provide estate planning for key stakeholders involved in the ownership of commercial real estate.

Our litigators  are also skilled problem solvers when mediation, arbitration or litigation is involved, always pursuing the most beneficial and cost-effective resolution possible.