David Szeker is the chair of Kasowitz’s real estate transactions group, where his practice involves counseling clients in many aspects of commercial real estate law, including the development, acquisition and disposition of commercial real estate, acting on behalf of borrowers and lenders in the financing of commercial properties, negotiation of joint ventures, and acting for landlords and tenants in the leasing of office, industrial and retail space. David’s clients also rely on him to coordinate with the firm’s leading litigators in connection with real estate-related litigation, partnership disputes, defaulted mezzanine loans, UCC foreclosure actions and other complex defaulted financing transactions and bankruptcies.
David is recognized in Chambers USA, with clients describing him as “remarkably responsive, meticulous and smart” and note that “his dedication is unmatched and he provides very thoughtful answers and commentary,” as well as in The Legal 500 where clients describe him as "exceptional" and a "smart, practical and solution-oriented attorney who understands how to thoughtfully and strategically navigate both legal and business issues." He was also included on Lawdragon's 500 Leading Dealmakers in America list and was named a Rising Star by Real Estate Weekly.
David is a member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee.
Work Highlights
Acquisitions and Dispositions
- Starwood Property Trust in the negotiation of purchase and sale agreements for the acquisition, financing and disposition of retail centers, apartment complexes and office buildings throughout the United States.
- Tryperion Holdings in its joint venture with ParaWest Management and the acquisition and financing of a multifamily property in Fort Bend County, Texas.
- iStar in its acquisition of the 350,000-square-foot Newport Office Center 6 in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey, from the LeFrak Organization.
- MRR Development in the $106 million acquisition of (and zoning issues for) a development site located at 56th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, which was one of the five largest land transactions in the United States in 2019, and the negotiation of a joint venture with Zahi Hagag, Israel’s largest developer.
- Turnbridge Equities in a joint venture agreement to acquire, develop and operate the property known as Burnet Gateway and Innovation Park in Austin, Texas.
- Westbrook Partners in the sale of a 144,000-square-foot office building located at 31 W. 27th Street in Manhattan to Savanna.
- Young Nian Group in the $104 million sale of a development site located at 131-01 39th Avenue in Flushing, Queens in New York City, to United Construction and Development Group.
Development and Financing
- JDS Development in securing a $664 million construction loan to build a 1,066-foot tower located at 9 DeKalb Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. The mixed-use luxury tower is Brooklyn’s tallest skyscraper.
- Turnbridge Equities in an $82 million construction loan involving the renovation and development of 3 three-story buildings, a $40 million construction loan involving the demolition of two apartment buildings and the development of a four-story building, and a $113 million construction loan refinancing involving the development of a 6.6-acre mixed-use complex located in Austin, Texas.
- JDS Development in securing a $137 million construction loan as part of the final funding for the Monad Terrace project in South Beach, Miami, and the $91 million construction loan for the construction of a 297-unit Class A, multi-family rental building in Washington, D.C.
- Starwood Property Trust in numerous mortgage loan matters across the nation, including in North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, California and New Jersey.
- Land and Sea Development in negotiating a ground lease to affordable housing developers Phoenix Realty and Artimus Construction as ground tenant, which will include a new 25-story mixed-use building on the property with 408 units of affordable housing and 135 market-rate units.
- Quinlan Development Group in a $152 million senior loan to finance the recapitalization and lease-up of the iconic Pioneer Building located at 41 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, consisting of office and retail space and in providing a mezzanine loan as part of a $100 million construction financing to a major New York developer for a residential tower in downtown Manhattan.
- GFI Capital in various rounds of modifications of $100 million in senior and mezzanine construction financing for the development of the Ace Hotel Brooklyn, a 157,000-square-foot, 13-story hotel located at 61 Bond Street in Brooklyn, New York.
- Arbor Realty Trust in a $37 million mortgage loan to finance the operation of a multifamily residential property in Jacksonville, Florida.
- U.S. Realty Advisors in the acquisition and financing of a 48-acre industrial facility in Massillon, Ohio, from Geis Companies.
Office, Industrial and Retail Leasing
- Mollenhour Gross, as landlord in the signing of three leases of prime industrial space in Knoxville, Tennessee for tenants that include JLG Industries, a designer and manufacturer of access equipment and subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation, Ferguson Enterprises, a distributor of plumbing and heating products, and FedEx Freight, a provider of LTL (less-than-truckload) freight services.
- Carlyle in connection with various retail leases in the Greater New York metro area.
- The Related Companies/Oxford Properties in the one million-square-foot retail project at Hudson Yards in Manhattan.
- East End Capital in several office and retail leases in Manhattan and Miami, Florida.
- Steiner NYC in long-term ground leases from the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation and a long-term lease with Wegmans Food Markets in Brooklyn, New York.
- Insight Global in its lease at 437 Madison Avenue in Manhattan.
- Cognizant in its headquarters lease at Hudson Yards in Manhattan.
- Take-Two Interactive in its headquarters lease with the Durst Organization at 1133 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan.
- Susman Godfrey LLP in its lease at 1301 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan from Paramount Group and in its lease at One Manhattan West.
- Rockstar Games in its leasing of space in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
- Purolite in its headquarters lease in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, from Equus Capital.
Pro Bono
- The First Union Baptist Church of the Bronx in securing a favorable settlement that allows the Church to pay its debts and remain at its historic location after facing foreclosure, and provide for the development of 45 units of affordable housing.
Media