Ongoing Matters

City of Glendale/Glendale Redevelopment Agency - Town Center
Representation of the City of Glendale and its Redevelopment Agency in its environmental review and approval of the Town Center redevelopment project. The project as approved by the City Council and Agency Board is a mixed-use development including retail, restaurants and cinema, housing, and park space. Morrison & Foerster is currenlty defending the EIR in the Los Angeles Superior Court.

Bridge Housing Corporation - Geary Bloulevard Senior Housing/Institute on Aging Facilitie s April 2003, Ongoing
Representation of Bridge Housing in land use entitlement issues involving the demolition of a neighborhood movie theater and the construction of a mid-rise facility in San Francisco's Richmond District.

AMB Property Corp. - West Dublin BART Specific Plan October 2001
We represent AMB Property Corp. regarding the proposed development of a mixed-use project consisting of approximately 300 multi-family residential units and a four-story, 120,000-square-foot office building within the West Dublin BART Specific Plan area. Located in the City of Dublin, the Specific Plan area is intended to be developed as a high-intensity, mixed-use, transit-oriented community, capitalizing on regional transit linkages provided by both the BART line and nearby freeways, I-580 and I-680. Within the West Dublin BART area, a mixture of low-rise and mid-rise buildings housing residences, offices, specialty retail, lodging, restaurant, and similar uses are planned, consistent with the principles of transit-oriented smart-growth developments.

LNR Riverside, LLC - March Air Force Base August 2000
Representation of LNR Riverside, LLC in the negotiation of an exclusive negotiating agreement and subsequently negotiated and drafted a disposition and development agreement for the acquisition and development of the March Air Force Base by LNR. We also assisted in the preparation of a specific plan related to the acquisition and development of the Base, and handled conveyances of property from the March Joint Powers Authority to LNR Riverside, LLC. We are currently drafting a development agreement and advising on the preparation of a supplemental environmental impact report.

Lennar Communities - Brannan Square, San Francisco, California July 2000
Obtained entitlements for Lennar Communities and Lennar Partners for a unique mixed-use urban community located in an historic district in the South Beach area of San Francisco involving the restoration and rehabilitation of two historic warehouse buildings (formerly Gallo Salame factory). The project is a public/private partnership and includes condominiums (both market rate and affordable) live-work units, lofts and office space, retail and parking. Lead team of attorneys in handling all legal aspects of the development including acquisition, entitlements, financing, construction, leasing and disposition.

LucasFilm, Ltd. - Presidio Army Base, San Francisco, California January 1999
Representation of LucasFilm Ltd. in connection with its successful bid to develop the Letterman Digital Arts Center in the former Presidio Army Base, now a national park. This included the development of a proposal that was accepted by the Presidio Trust (which now has responsibility for the park), negotiation of a Development Agreement and Ground Lease, and collaboration with the Presidio Trust in NEPA and National Historic Preservation Act proceedings. In addition the firm has provided land use advice to Classic Residence by Hyatt in its proposal to develop a senior housing project in the Presidio.

Contra Costa Centre Association - Pleasant Hill BART Station Area Redevelopment July 1993
Served as General Counsel, for over 10 years, to the Contra Costa Centre Association, the association of hotel, office, and high-density residential owners surrounding this major transit hub, and have provided legal representation on the complex development agreement and other issues related to the 2.5 million square feet of development and entitlements within the specific plan area. The redevelopment area covers an approximately 30 acre mixed-use transit village viewed as a national model of a smart-growth redevelopment project. We have also been retained by the private development entities negotiating infrastructure and development issues with the Redevelopment Agency, including development of twin office towers for a total of 375,000 square feet of office space.

2004

Winco Foods - Grocery Store, Vacaville, California August 2004
Secured a victory for Winco Foods, potential tenant of a 100,000 square foot grocery store in Vacaville. Working with the City and property developer, our Walnut Creek and San Francisco attorneys defeated a motion for preliminary injunction and then secured a sweeping victory on the merits for our client. Local unions had challenged the approval of building permits for the project on the basis that the project entitlements required three tenants in the building, not one tenant as proposed by our client.

Lennar Mare Island, LLC - Mare Island Naval Shipyard August 2004
Representation of Lennar Mare Island in connection with the acquisition of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard by the City of Vallejo from the U.S. Navy, including the Leases in Furtherance of Conveyance. We represented Lennar Mare Island in negotiations with the City of Vallejo for an agreement containing the terms and conditions of Lennar's acquisition and development of Mare Island. We negotiated a development agreement with the City and participated in the negotiation and drafting of a Settlement Agreement between the City, the State Lands Commission, and Lennar. We are currently processing a specific plan reflecting Lennar's development plan and advising on the preparation of a subsequent environmental impact report.

LNR South Shore, LLC - NAS South Weymouth June 2004
Representation of LNR South Shore, LLC in negotiating and drafting an exclusive negotiation agreement and security agreement with respect to LNR's pre-development costs on the base. We also successfully negotiated and drafted a disposition and development agreement providing for LNR's acquisition and development of the base.

Lennar Communities - Northern California Development Portfolio May 2004
Assisted client in successfully negotiating the purchase of the entire Northern California development portfolio of a major national residential developer. The transaction involved Lennar's purchase of more than 1200 acres of development property at seven different locations in California and Nevada, representing the largest residential portfolio deal seen on the west coast in many years. We assisted Lennar in documenting the transaction and providing crucial advice and counseling on issues ranging from the political risks affecting the land use entitlement processes in various jurisdictions, to obstacles posed by the state and federal environmental permitting processes (including processes required by the state and federal Endangered Species Acts, the federal Clean Water Act, and the California Environmental Quality Act), to issues relating to organized labor, water supplies, schools and affordable housing.

Millennia Sacramento, III, LLC - Union Pacific Railyard Property January 2004
Representation of Millennia Sacramento, III, LLC in its negotiations to acquire and redevelop the 240-acre downtown Sacramento Union Pacific Railyard property into an urban mixed-use village. This project designed by world-renowned architect Jon Jerde involves one of the largest urban infill sites in the country and will feature the California Railroad Technology Museum and a new intermodal transportation facility as well as millions of square feet of residential, cultural, open space and commercial development. The project includes negotiations with Union Pacific, the City, Regional Transit and numerous other parties as well as obtaining land use approvals for the development of this historic property that was the birthplace of the Transcontinental Railroad.

2003

ActivSpace LLC - Presidio, San Francisco, California November 2003
Representation of ActivSpace LLC in its successful selection by the Presidio Trust to lease and rehabilitate the historic Mason Street Warehouses within the Presidio of San Francisco. This representation included assistance with development of the successful Request for Proposal response which was accepted by the Presidio Trust, negotiation of a Development Agreement and Ground Lease, and advice regarding National Historic Preservation Act compliance.

Equinix - Internet Hosting Facility, San Jose, California October 2003
Representation of Equinix in obtaining the land use approvals and entitlements for an Internet hosting facility in the Edenvale Industrial Area (a Redevelopment Area), including CEQA review and a major road extension. Negotiations with the City regarding use of eminent domain. Also negotiated with the City and Redevelopment Agency to include the site in a Community Facilities District.

Marble Mountain Partners, LLC - Marine Corps Air Station Tustin September 2003
We have represented Marble Mountain Partners, LLC in connection with the initial successful internet bid conveyances from the United States Navy and General Services Administration, including negotiations related to the Leases in Furtherance of Conveyance (LIFOC), quitclaim deeds, and environmental remediation issues related to the redevelopment of the former Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin.

A.F. Evans Development, Inc. - 450 Rhode Island, San Francisco, California August 2003
Representation of A.F. Evans Development in obtaining rezoning and land use entitlements for mixed commercial/residential project, including 165 dwelling units and a grocery store, in Potrero Hill neighborhood.

City and County of San Francisco - San Francisco International Airport July 2003
Advised the City and County of San Francisco in the environmental review and permitting of a major proposed runway reconfiguration project. In connection with this project, we advised the City and County of San Francisco regarding air and water quality environmental review and permitting issues, and wetlands and endangered species issues.

A.F. Evans Development, Inc. - 601 King Street, San Francisco, California March 2003
Representation of A.F. Evans Development in obtaining height limit increase and land use entitlements for the first major residential project approved in Showplace Square district.

Chelsea Development Company, LLC - 177 Townsend Street February 2003
Representation of Chelsea Development in obtaining land use entitlements for a mixed-use project in a high profile location near the former Pacific Bell Park, including office, retail, residential and non-accessory parking uses.

2002

San Francisco Redevelopment Agency - Emporium Building, San Francisco, California
Successful representation of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency in defending the approved redevelopment plan and related approvals for the conversion of the Emporium building and surrounding property into a new retail complex including a Bloomingdales store, against a challenge by a citizens group; the primary issue in our part of the case was the legal adequacy of the blight finding for the redevelopment plan amendment.