Jeffrey R. Escobar

Jeffrey Escobar focuses his practice on advising lenders, sponsors, investors, project companies, public and private utility companies, private equity funds, joint ventures, institutional owners and closely held horizontal and vertical project owners and ‎developers across the United States and throughout the Americas. He advises them on their deployment of capital on the debt and tax equity project financing, M&A, development and sale-leaseback of complex and large-scale utility grade renewable (solar, onshore and offshore wind), geothermal and alternative energy (including biofuel and emerging energy) projects, as well as large infrastructure, transportation and private-public development projects.

Jeff has been recognized as a Rising Star for Real Estate Development and Construction by Super Lawyers® since 2014, and named by The Legal 500 in 2017 as a Recommended Lawyer in Project Finance.

Previously a judicial law clerk and appellate court attorney for the Chief Justice of the New York State Appellate Division, Third Department, his practice now centers upon complex commercial, infrastructure and energy-related real estate development, design, engineering and construction transactions; real estate project finance of energy, infrastructure, transportation and renewable energy projects; real estate and construction concerns in public-private partnerships; project support and claims dispute avoidance; and real estate and environmental risks.

Jeff’s experience includes the following:

Renewable Energy, Infrastructure & Project Financed Real Estate & Development Transactions

• Spearheaded the real estate finance component of a $2.3 billion syndicated lending to a privately held electricity provider in its decommissioning of two diesel-powered plants and construction of two replacement LNG turbine powered plants along with three corresponding battery storage facilities in Southern California and Nevada, leading to naming as a Recommend Lawyer in the 2017 Legal 500 US for Finance-Project Finance
• Advised and led Australian private equity fund in its $1 billion acquisition of eight natural gas, diesel and clean coal-fired facilities generating 3,555 MW across 14 cooperatives and municipalities in Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas
• Counseled a Southeast commercial investment bank in its construction financing of a 26 MW solar energy facility in Weld County, Colo., and advised its borrowing entity with respect to the resulting EPC construction contracting and management of project
• Advised a Midwest alternate energy producer in its facility development and financing of a $295 million proposed ammonia and nitrogen carbon capture project in Iowa
• Led lending syndicate of nearly 200 lenders with respect to real estate finance concerns in their lending of $1.3 billion for the development, construction and operation of a Liquefied National Gas facility in the Gulf of Mexico
• Spearheaded the real estate, development and finance component of a sponsor-led $800 million acquisition, redevelopment and operation of a 1,485 MW combined cycle natural gas-fired turbine facility and power plant in Lackawanna, Pa.
• Guided Australian-based private equity fund with respect to real estate finance and development concerns involving its $600 million funding of six offshore wind projects in the outer-continental shelf off of the U.S. East Coast
• Provided real estate acquisition and development advice to global asset and capital management concern in its concessionaire bid for a public-private partnership funded redevelopment of a national airport in New York State
• Advised German-based lender in its $365 million lending and tax-equity sponsorship of the acquisition, construction and operation of two 25 MW solar facilities in Clarke County and Cherrydale County, Va.
• Counseled publicly traded geothermal conglomerate with respect to real estate, development and real estate-backed financing concerns in its $2 billion acquisition of a portfolio of three geothermal power generating assets in Colorado and Nevada
• Guided U.S.-based institutional bank in its $396 million financing of a sponsor-led acquisition and development of a portfolio of eight solar facilities in California, Colorado and New Mexico
• Counseled solar developer with respect to the real estate finance, acquisition, ground lease, construction and development of a co-generation wind farm and solar facility in Kimball, Neb.
• Led U.S.-based lender in its $395 million re-financing of a 105 MW wind farm and battery storage facility in Southeast Washington State
• Advised U.S.-based infrastructure private equity fund with respect to its real estate finance and development concerns in its $1 billion bid to acquire portfolio of six diesel powered generating facilities in Louisiana and Texas for conversion to LNG-based energy output
• Continuously guided a West Coast solar energy developer in its deployment of $225 million in construction financing and EPC construction contracting of 50 solar and storage projects generating over 18 GW of solar energy through the Southeast
• Advised China’s largest mineral, ore and steel mining and production conglomerate in its foreclosure of its U.S. mining rights and licenses, establishment of steel production facilities across North America and construction of a refining facility
• Guided Chinese developer in in its development, EPC construction contracting, finance and sale of a 17,000 acre, 1.7 gigawatt solar power facility in Central Texas
• Provided real estate and development guidance to hydroelectric developer and operator in relation to its refinancing and aggregation of a portfolio of five hydroelectric dams spanning ten states in the Northeast United States
• Counseled Scandinavia-based offshore wind developer in its real estate financing, development and bid for the construction and operation of off-shore wind farms off of the coasts of New Jersey and Virginia valued at $1 billion
• Led syndicate of U.S. institutional lenders with respect to the real estate component of a $500 million construction and term loan lending for the construction, development and operation of a 40 MW solar and battery storage facility in Santa Barbara, Calif.
• Guided publicly-traded geothermal developer and generator as to real estate development concerns arising from its $650 million private placement offering to fund the construction of five geothermal power plants in Southern Nevada
• Led the real estate finance component of a $18 billion lending to the operator of the largest liquefied natural gas plant and facility in the United States with respect to the development and construction of a LNG pipeline and facility in Louisiana
• Advised leading Chinese solar developer in its acquisition, development and construction of a 10,000 acre, 1.2 gigawatt solar power facility in Eastern Nevada
• Led a solar developer in the negotiation of a solar option agreement and ground lease for the development of a 2,000 acre solar farm in Central Florida
• Acted as regular real estate counsel to a Southeast U.S. Commercial Investment Bank in its project finance-backed construction and sale-leaseback financing of a $350 million portfolio of solar power facilities developed throughout the Southeast and Midwest United States
• Developed suite of solar ground lease option agreements, land purchase agreements and solar development right agreements on behalf of utility grade solar developer and operator in their acquisition, development and positioning of a portfolio of solar facilities across Central America and the Caribbean
• Guided consortium of New Mexico landowners with respect to their development and sale-leaseback of 40,000 acres of land to a joint venture of wind and solar developers
• Counseled a renewable power developer in connection with its acquisition of a utility grade 150 MW wind project site and its negotiation of a turnkey construction and sale agreement to a utility-grade operator utilizing a build, operate and transfer structure
• Advised a Southwest developer in its acquisition, build, operate and transfer of a 200MW solar-powered and 150 MW wind-powered co-generating electricity development project in Central Texas
• Counseled a British Columbia based renewable construction materials entity in its technology licensing, construction supply contracting, performance guaranty and step-in agreement for the redevelopment of 26 New York State Thruway projects

Commercial Real Estate Development & Construction Transactions

• Led West Coast commercial investment bank in its $125 million acquisition financing of the Renaissance Hotel at Los Angeles International Airport
• Served as real estate finance counsel to a commercial investment bank in its $65 million lending to a West Coast hospitality group and its refinance of existing debt carried on three marquee hotel properties located in California, Kentucky and Texas
• Counseled a private hospital developer in its private-public partnership financing, development and construction of an 80-bed acute care medical hospital in the City of Sherman, Texas
• Led a modular construction developer in its joint venture Chapter 380 economic development grant and public incentive financing and development of a 150,000 square foot modular housing manufacturing facility in McKinney, Texas
• Served as outside real estate construction transactions and development general counsel to a large Midwest commercial, industrial, retail/mixed use, health care and senior living developer on all development projects nationally, including the internal overhaul of all project construction delivery systems, project design, engineering and construction contracting, and risk management practices
• Led joint venture of three partners in its financing, construction and development of a $100 million, 136 unit luxury senior living complex and adjoining long term care facility in Fridley, Minnesota
• Served as construction and development legal counsel to Fortune 500 Midwest developer in its joint venture development and construction portfolio of 20 industrial facilities in Minnesota, Colorado and Texas
• Guided China’s second largest asset management company in its $45 million redevelopment, sale and disposition of a large, defunct college campus in Long Island, New York
• Acted as outside construction transactions and regulatory counsel to joint venture in its finance, construction and development of its $65 million religious facility in Upper Eastside, Manhattan, New York City
• Led real estate and real estate finance concerns of national grocery distributer in its merger and acquisition of a portfolio of luxury grocery stores in the New York Tri-State area
• Advised a New York investment capital firm of real estate and real estate finance concerns in its acquisition and sale leaseback of large portfolio of convenience stores located throughout the U.S. Southeast and Northwest
• Counseled large private equity firm in its $50 million construction bond financing and construction contracting for the development of two large charter schools and adjoining athletic facilities in Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Provided key landmark advice to developer client on the legal ability and viability to use modular means and methods to construct the country’s tallest modular tower at the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn
• Structured and negotiated the development of the Baccarat Hotel & Residences in Manhattan, including the provision of development and construction practices advice
• Led, structured, negotiated and advised client on construction license agreements for the construction of the Tower Verre, otherwise known as the MoMA Tower in New York City
• Served as construction counsel to the owner of a professional Major League Soccer team in the development and construction of stadium, training facility, administrative and executive offices, including the mediation and negotiated settlement of various construction management, subcontract claims and lien foreclosure, averting possible project shutdown and failure of development
• Advised Comanche Nation of Oklahoma in its potential site acquisition, construction finance and design-build construction of its $75 million national headquarters and its $100 million gaming and entertainment facility in Oklahoma
• Acted as construction legal adviser to country’s largest real estate investment trust (REIT), reviewing all development and construction contracts and agreements for all new client developments nationwide, including providing legal advice and counsel as to transaction and potential client exposure to potential liability and industry best practices
• Provided legal counsel and risk management guidance to large New York developer of a luxury residence at a Long Island City project, including advisory as to use of union labor versus non-union labor and crane operation requirements
• Spearheaded and provided legal counsel to the development and construction of a contentious multi-hundred-million-dollar assisted living senior community and rehabilitation center in Boca Raton, Fla.
• Advised the world’s largest luxury-residential developer in its joint venture and partnership with an international hotel group in the construction and development of a luxury lodge, spa and residential complex in Breckenridge, Colo.
• Acted as U.S. legal counsel to foreign design-build client in the construction of Roosevelt Island commuter aerial tramway system from project procurement and bid to the negotiation and administration of the project’s contracts
• Acted as lead counsel to the construction of the Battery Park Ferry Terminal, including loss recovery efforts from Port Authority and builder under OCIP policies for failures to properly complete topside work
• Led global real estate developer in its construction financing, development and construction of a high-rise luxury tower, hotel and retail spaces consisting of 150 residential units in downtown Dallas
• Spearheaded the development and construction by one of the country’s largest private developers of a luxury retail shopping, entertainment and hotel complex in downtown Phoenix
• Advised publicly traded health care company in its joint venture development with a public university in its acquisition and development of a medical care campus and hospital in Houston metropolitan area
• Acted as development counsel to a publicly traded health care REIT in its procurement and redevelopment of a portfolio of medical care offices and facilities assets throughout Connecticut, including the ground-up acquisition and construction of two medical campuses
• Provided real estate construction counsel to a prominent New York developer in its construction and development of luxury residential towers in Austin and downtown Milwaukee
• Represented an internationally prominent, privately held bank in the underwriting of a public-private partnership development of a 500,000 square foot entertainment complex and venue in Charlotte
• Advised publicly-traded, S&P 500 health care company in its acquisition, development, construction and operation of medical care facilities, buildings, campuses and hospitals across the country, including its joint venture development with a large Japanese financial conglomerate and private equity firm of a portfolio of luxury senior and assisted living communities
• Guided a foreign joint venture in its acquisition, development and construction of a 100-acre automobile manufacturing facility, commercial complex and distribution center in New Braunfels, Texas
• Served as development legal advisor to one of the country’s largest Real Estate Investment Trusts in its rebranding, management and redevelopment of its hospitality CapEx and PIP assets nationwide
• Negotiated, prepared and oversaw administration of construction and development contracts for multinational corporate client in the construction of their new global headquarters and offices at marquee location in Times Square
• Served as construction legal counsel to international luxury retailer in its design, engineering, construction and development of its retail, operations and commercial office locations throughout North America
• Led a publicly traded, S&P client health care company in its (i) acquisition, development, construction and operation of a medical care facility, campus and hospital at Medical City Dallas; (ii) procurement, redevelopment and construction of a portfolio of ten medical care facilities and hospitals throughout the United States; (iii) joint venture acquisition, development and operation of a 111 unit senior living facility in Otay Ranch, Calif.; (iv) development, construction and operation of a medical care facility, campus and hospital in Woodlands, Texas; and (v) joint venture development and construction of senior living communities throughout North America
• Acting as outside real estate construction and development general counsel to a number of luxury retailers, in their development, demolition, renovation and construction of all of their luxury retail locations throughout North America, including over 10 facilities for one key client this past year alone
• Advised the North American arm of a German pharmaceutical conglomerate (i) in its completion and management of the construction of its Chicago Metropolitan Dialysis Center and Medical Care Facility, (ii) its joint venture development of its Massachusetts facilities, and (iii) as to its general real estate and construction needs throughout North America
• Acted as real estate construction and development counsel to a joint venture in its development and construction of luxury assisted living and memory care senior community and rehabilitation centers in Santa Rosa, Calif. and Seattle
• Provided leadership to Chilean-based mineral mining development company in its merger and acquisition of a U.S.-based project company with respect to real estate and development concerns, mining claims and licenses issues and the planned construction of a refining facility
• Advised, drafted and negotiated a series of EPC construction contracts for Scandinavia based developer in its development of offshore wind facilities throughout the United States valued at nearly $600 million in total
• Guided a Texas-based manufacturer and distributor in its construction and development of an automobile manufacturing, warehouse and distribution facility in the Dallas metropolitan area