Barry Ross practices in all areas of real estate, with an emphasis on complex development, joint venture and financing transactions. He has lectured at the New York State Bar Association’s Advanced Real Estate Seminar on such topics as construction financing and long term ground leasing.

Select Representations

Significant matters include Mr. Ross’ representation of:

• Crown Center Development Corporation (a wholly owned subsidiary of Hallmark Cards Inc.)  with respect to its $156 million sale of 2555 Grand Street, Kansas City, Missouri.  This 600,000 + office building is one of several office buildings that along with two hotels, a shopping center and a number of common facilities comprise Crown Center - one of the first central city mixed use developments in the country.   In addition to handling the  sale of this property the representation included the negotiation of a reciprocal easement agreement that provided, inter alia, parking to the building and access to an enclosed pedestrian skylink that runs throughout Crown Center.
• Hudson Waterfront Associates (a consortium of Hong Kong based companies) with respect to one of the most important projects in New York City - Riverside South (also known as Trump Place). Mr. Ross’ work included:
• the acquisition of the 50 acre site bordering the Hudson River and the development of seven residential towers (containing more than 1600 rental and condominium apartments), new roads and other infrastructure elements and public amenities (including one of the largest new public parks in New York City);
• the $1.76 billion sale, in 2005, of the project – a sale that included three residential towers, four commercial condominium units, four garages and seven unimproved sites that will accommodate more than 3 million square feet of development in the future; and
• Hudson Waterfront Associates’ subsequent $1.1 billion acquisition of The Bank of America Building, the most prestigious business address in San Francisco, California, and $1.2 billion acquisition of 1290 Avenue of the Americas in New York City.
• Wachovia Bank National Association in the $550 million sale/leaseback of 150 properties to American Financial Realty Trust. The transaction included 94 bank branches and a portfolio of office buildings located throughout the eastern United States from Florida to New York. Of the 8.2 million square feet of space involved in the transaction, Wachovia leased back 5 million square feet in a series of complex lease arrangements.
• American Financial Realty Trust in its $889 million sale of State Street Financial Center located in Boston Massachusetts to an affiliate of Fortis Property Group.
• The Cathedral of St. John the Divine (the seat of the Episcopal Bishop of New York and the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world) relating to an option with Columbia University for the long term ground lease with AvalonBay Communities for the southeast portion of the Close.

Bar and Court Admissions

New York, 1976

Education

Brooklyn Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, 1975

State University of New York-Albany, B.S., 1971

Professional Affiliations

• The Association of the Bar of the City of New York – Property Management Committee, Chairman, 1995; Leasing Subcommittee of the Real Property Law Committee, Chairman, 1987-1988
• New York State Bar Association – Real Property Law Section, Committee on Commercial Leasing and Litigation, 1992
• American Bar Association

Civic Involvement and Honors

• The Best Lawyers in America – 2010-2013
• New York Super Lawyers – 2006-2012
• The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers – 2010
• Chambers U.S.A. – 2010-2011
• Scenic Hudson, Inc. – Member of the Board of Directors, 2003-2006
• Ticor Title Insurance Company – Counsel of Advisors, 1990-2006
• Fordham University School of Law – Adjunct Associate Professor, 1986-1988
• Brooklyn Journal of International Law – Editor-in-Chief, 1974-1975