The Property Line Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) is a state-enabled financing solution designed to help building owners and developers obtain funds for energy-efficient improvements in new construction and existing commercial property buildings. With its affordable and accessible nature, C-PACE has established itself as a rapidly growing funding source over the last decade.

In this episode, Kate Cusack, managing director, head of production for Nuveen Green Capital, joins Dan Evans and Chris Palmese to define C-PACE and discuss the funding strategy’s use, role in the market, and future prospects.

Special purpose entities (SPEs) are frequently employed in commercial real estate transactions to mitigate bankruptcy risks associated with borrowers or their properties. To qualify as bankruptcy remote, these entities must meet specific requirements, such as appointing "independent directors" and "springing members." With the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) now in effect, mandating the disclosure of beneficial owners, SPEs must ensure compliance to avoid severe penalties for non-reporting or false reporting.

In this episode, Cameron Weil and Dustin Lauermann join Jay Wardlaw to explore the intersection of the CTA and SPEs and discuss how those affected can ensure compliance.

Amidst a challenging office market and tempered growth in the industrial and life sciences sectors, the retail landscape stands resilient. As retailers, owners, developers, brokers, and other industry professionals gather for the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) annual conference in Las Vegas, anticipation grows for revelations on the future trajectory of retail in 2024 and beyond.

In this episode, Greg Covey, senior managing director at Newmark, joins Eric Greenberg and James O’Brien to discuss the current state of retail, observed trends, and more.

As many states continue to ease regulations and the Food and Drug Administration considers moving cannabis to Schedule III, commercial real estate is increasingly buzzed with interest in properties for use by cannabis businesses, from agricultural land and warehouses to retail spaces. Despite this seemingly abundant opportunity, investors currently find themselves navigating the still murky waters of federal illegality.

In this episode, Stan Jutkowitz joins James O’Brien and Eric Greenberg to discuss the cannabis industry landscape, hurdles faced when securing and investing in suitable real estate, and risks and liabilities for owners leasing to cannabis businesses.

In Seyfarth’s 9th annual Real Estate Market Sentiment Survey, executives across the commercial real estate sector weigh in on their top concerns and investment priorities as they navigate a delicate balance between hope and caution, mindful of impacts stemming from potential rate adjustments, persistent scarcity in debt financing, the looming specter of an economic slowdown, new workplace norms, and a lack of consensus in real estate valuations.

In this episode, Ron Gart and James O’Brien join Eric Greenberg to discuss what they found to be most revealing from the results.

As the trend of working from home solidifies and the number of office vacancies continues to rise, many office building owners are looking for alternative uses for their properties. While converting those buildings to residential spaces could reinvigorate central business districts and help ease the housing crunch, there’s no straight line to success.

In this episode, Neil Weisbard, a partner at Seyfarth focused on zoning and land use, joins Eric Greenberg and James O’Brien to discuss a few key obstacles, potential workarounds, and where affordable housing requirements come into play.