Peter represents clients in all major aspects of transactional real estate law, including property acquisition and disposition, land use and development, leasing and subleasing, real estate finance and real estate brokerage matters. His clients have included large global retailers, professional sports franchises, hotel and restaurant developers, major industrial and manufacturing businesses, software and information technology companies, entities engaged in commercial transportation and waste disposal, and owners of retail and other properties.
Peter focuses his practice on complex transactions involving the multi-purpose development and redevelopment of large-scale properties in Pennsylvania, which frequently include extensive and innovative arrangements with public and quasi-public agencies for the use of former industrial, commercial and institutional sites. In connection with such transactions, Peter has assisted clients in securing public-private financing, and entering into partnership and development agreements governing the use and development of Brownfield and "grayfield" sites. Another focus of Peter's practice is representing professional sports franchises throughout the United States in negotiations with public and private landowners for the development, lease and funding for stadiums and arenas.
His experience includes the following representations:
- A publicly traded manufacturer of processed foods in all real estate aspects of the dispositions of integrated food manufacturing and processing facilities in North America, the Caribbean and the Southern Pacific. These complex transactions included the sales and leasebacks of industrial facilities, the creation of sophisticated property-sharing and energy supply arrangements, and the implementation of multi-faceted easement agreements between different operating facilities.
- A leading global discount retailer in the acquisition and leasing of properties throughout Pennsylvania for the development of discount stores, warehouses and distribution centers, including complex land-use, zoning and all development issues.
- The owners of a National Hockey League franchise in the negotiation of a long-term lease for a new publicly financed arena, together with various complex ancillary agreements involving the construction of the arena and the redevelopment of adjacent properties. The redevelopment efforts also included the negotiation of a partnership between the hockey franchise and a Pittsburgh-area hotel developer for the redevelopment of a former hospital facility into a multi-story lifestyle hotel, as well as the negotiation of the first binding community benefits agreement in Pennsylvania.
- A Chicago-based real estate developer in the acquisition and financing of property in the Mt. Washington area of Pittsburgh for a mixed-use development consisting of a boutique hotel, offices and residential condominiums.
- One of the largest full service Mexican restaurant operators in the United States in negotiating numerous leases and purchase agreements for new restaurants and food service and distribution facilities, as well as various subleases, sale agreements and termination agreements for vacated space.
- The real estate investment division of a publicly traded utility company in its commercial leasing matters, as well as the subsequent sales of its Pittsburgh-area portfolio properties. Properties sold included a multi-tenant corporate center in suburban Pittsburgh, several major office buildings in the downtown Pittsburgh area, and various residential developments throughout the Pittsburgh region.
- A major international telecommunications company in negotiating more than 50 leases for office and research facilities throughout North America in a three-year period, as well as numerous subleases and termination arrangements for excess space.
- A major wholesale electronics distributor in negotiating numerous leases for warehouse and administrative space throughout the United States and Canada, including several properties in environmentally impacted areas.
- UK-based real estate investors in the redevelopment of a former industrial ceramics facility into a high-technology manufacturing center.
- A German-based manufacturer of specialty metal products in the disposition of the real estate and other business assets of a bankrupt U.S. subsidiary corporation.
- An international logistics and transportation company in negotiating leases and purchase agreements for warehouse and terminal space throughout the Eastern United States.
Peter also has extensive experience in representing publicly held and privately owned businesses in complex mergers and acquisitions and related financing practices, as well as related securities compliance matters. He has lectured extensively on issues of real estate law and commercial development in Western Pennsylvania.