Gregory Hummel concentrates his practice in public-private partnership matters, including:

• tax increment financing;
• special district financing;
• energy efficient retrofits;
• alternative energy projects;
• public finance;
• project finance;
• design and construction;
• real estate development and redevelopment; and
• incentives for large and small businesses, such as tax credits, labor training and other grants.

He also acts as:

• bond counsel or underwriter’s counsel in transactions involving large master-planned residential communities and mixed use commercial developments and district energy projects, aggregating several billion dollars;
• project counsel to several municipalities undertaking redevelopment of downtowns, brownfields or master-planned communities, representing new investment whose value aggregate hundreds of millions of dollars;
• project counsel to building owners undertaking energy efficient retrofits aggregating hundreds of millions of dollars; and
• incentives counsel to Fortune 500 companies for whom he has garnered incentives aggregating tens of millions of dollars.

Mr. Hummel also serves as legal counsel to some of the nation’s largest banks, construction companies and real estate developers, for whom he handles all facets of acquisition, zoning, construction, financing, leasing, management and disposition of office, retail, industrial and residential projects.

Select Representations

• Arbitration Counsel to world’s largest train life systems company in an arbitration concerning performance contracting with one of the largest Class I railroads in the U.S.
• Tax increment financing counsel for the retrofit of The Willis Tower, Chicago, Illinois, one of the largest energy efficiency projects ever undertaken.
• Tax increment financing counsel to the United States Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority in connection with a large mixed use retail, residential and office development on St. Croix which involved the first use of tax increment financing in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Project and bond counsel to Sterling, Illinois for the Rock River Industrial TIF Redevelopment Plan and Project which transformed a shuttered steel mill with environmental challenges into a multi-tenant industrial park featuring a state-of-the-art wire mill for one of the world’s leading component manufacturers and also a riverfront brownfield redevelopment involving a mix of retail, entertainment, recreational and other uses.
• Incentives counsel to a Fortune 500 Company involving national headquarters relocation, regional headquarters relocations, call centers and research and development centers, resulting in mid eight figure awards.
• Bond counsel to North Barrington, Illinois, involving the first rated special service area bond issue ever done in Illinois, which also involved an early use of Build America Bonds.
• TIF and bond counsel to Channahon, Illinois in connection with the creation of a TIF district and issuance of TIF bonds related to the construction of a $600M gas extraction/refractionation plant located at the terminus of a $3 billion natural gas liquids pipeline.
• Tax increment financing and project counsel to the Friends of Dix Park in connection with an effort to preserve 300 acres of open space in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina and create a world class park. This effort involved one of the first detailed examinations of North Carolina’s new TIF statute.
• Incentive counsel to large retailer who located a one-million-square-foot distribution center on Interstate 94 in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, obtained zero cost land acquisition and off-site infrastructure for this retailer.
• Project and TIF counsel to Hanover Park, Illinois in connection with  two downtown revitalization projects in Hanover Park, Illinois which involved a large-scale residential and commercial project with another 250 acres divided into eight sub-areas and also an adaptive reuse of an obsolete strip shopping transformed into a Menard’s superstore.
• TIF, bond and real estate counsel to Morton Grove, Illinois in connection with a transit oriented 72-acre residential, commercial and industrial area transformed into an urban village.
• TIF counsel to the Joliet Arsenal Development Authority for brownfield redevelopment and infrastructure development and in connection with its successful disposition of the largest World War II munitions plant to CenterPoint Realty Company who, in turn, created one of the largest intermodal operations in the United States.
• Project and bond counsel for the Wal-Mart Distribution Center Special Service Area Financing District, which involved a $7 million, 4.5-mile sewer interceptor and water distribution line infrastructure bond issue serving a state-of-the-art distribution center and opening a 2,200 acre corridor for new development.
• Bond counsel to Gilberts, Illinois, involving a fixed and a variable rate $60M bond issue that provided funds for the water and sewer infrastructure for development of 1,400 new homes.
• Incentive counsel to one of the largest shopping developers in the U.S. to enable revisions to the New Mexico Special Assessment District statute to permit special assessment district financing for infrastructure improvements in connection with a major regional mall near Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Bar and Court Admissions

Illinois, 1974

Education

Northwestern University, J.D., 1974

MacMurray College, B.A., cum laude, 1971

Publications

• "Chicago Central Area Decarbonization Plan," (Contributing Author)
• "Tax Increment Finance Best Practices Reference Guide," (Contributing Author)
• "Illinois Real Estate Forms - Practice," (Co-author)
• "Negotiating Design, Construction, Financing and Leasing Issues in Mixed Use Real Estate Developments," (Contributing Author/Editor)
• "The Real Estate Development Process - Drafting and Negotiating Techniques," (Contributing Author/Editor)
• "Public/Private Partnerships: The Key to Development in the 1990’s and Beyond," ABA National Institute, (Contributing Author/Editor)

Speeches and Seminars

• "Chicago’s Transformation into a Revitalized International Metropolis," Offices of the Mayor of Chicago and Governor of Pudong, Shanghai, China, April 22, 2011
• "Public Private Partnerships: Evanston and Hanover Park, Illinois – The Tale of Two Cities," Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Transportation Committee, April 21, 2011, Addison, Ill.
• "Term Sheets and Redevelopment Agreements," Council of Development Finance Agencies Webinar,  April 4, 2011
• "Clusters – A Powerful Economic Development Strategy," Keynote Address, Spring 2011 Illinois Tax Increment Association Meeting, April 7, 2011, Normal, Ill.
• "Infrastructure Game-Changers," Chicago Metropolitan Planning Agency, March 9, 2011, Chicago, Ill.
• "Better Buildings – Energy Efficient Retrofits," North Shore General Counsel Association, Oct. 20, 2010, Vernon Hills, Ill.
• "Infrastructure Game-Changers," Urban Land Institute Fall 2010 Meeting, Oct. 12, 2010, Washington, D.C.
• "Energy Financing Districts," Council of Development Finance Agencies, Sept. 16, 2010, Washington, D.C.
• "Tax Increment Financing – The American Experience," July 26, 2010, Sydney, Australia, given to Urban Development in Australia NSW Leadership, New South Wales Treasury and Planning Departments, and The U.S. Studies Center at the University of Sydney
• "Tax Increment Financing – the American Experience," Thought Leadership Master Class on the Potential Use of TIF in New Zealand, July 21-24, 2010, Wellington, New Zealand
• "Tax Increment Financing – The American Experience," Forum on Cross River Rail Project hosted by Clayton Utz, July 19, 2010, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
• "Tax Increment Financing – The American Experience," July 15, 2010, Honolulu, Hawaii
• "Financing Models and Sources; Leasing, Performance Contracting, Cash-flow Lending," ComEd’s Energy Efficiency Expo, May 19, 2010, Rosemont, Ill.
• "Understanding Your TIF Statute" and "Tax Increment Financing Case Studies: The American Experience," given at The Advanced TIF Course, Community Development Finance Agencies, Nov. 19, 2009, Washington, D.C., and also May 5, 2010, Milwaukee, Wis., to the Midwest Association of Economic Development Associations
• "Energy Districts and Innovative Financing Ideas," Urban Land Institute Forum, Dec. 4, 2009, Washington, D.C.
• "Energy Efficiency Financing, Performance Contracting and Public Finance," Urban Land Institute, June 23, 2009, Washington, D.C.
• "The Gap Analysis and The Art of the Deal," Illinois Tax Increment Association Fall meeting, Sept. 25, 2009, Chicago, Ill.
• "Tax Increment Financing Case Studies," Community Development Finance Authorities Annual Summit, May 5, 2009, Pittsburgh, Pa.
• "Creative Approaches to Infrastructure: The Chicago and London Stories," 2008 Urban Land Institute Fall Meeting and Urban Land Expo, Oct. 29, 2008
• "Tax Increment Financing – The American Experience," CBA Commercial Finance and Transactions Committee, Oct. 18, 2007
• "Special Service Area Primer," Illinois Tax Increment Association, Oct. 18, 2007
• "Tax Increment Financing," National Brownfields Association Conference - The Big Deal, Oct. 17, 2007
• "Whiteside County, Illinois: A Quadra-Modal Opportunity for an Inland Port," Sept. 21, 2007
• ULI London Forum on Value Capture: "Tax Increment Financing – The American Experience," June 22, 2007
• "TIF and Special District Financing Strategies: A Tale of Three Towns – Chicago, Sterling and Volo, Illinois," Council of Development Finance Agencies, Baltimore, Md., May 22, 2007
• "Infrastructure: Finding New Money for Old Problems Through Tax Increment Financing and Special Service Areas," Urban Land Institute, Chicago, Ill., May 10, 2007
• "Moving Forward with Security: The TIF Application Process and the Art of the Deal," Illinois Tax Increment Association, Springfield, Ill., April 27, 2007
• "A Tale of Two Towns: Chicago’s TIF Strategy and Volo, Illinois’ Special Service Area and Business District Strategy; Techniques for Negotiating Successful Redevelopment Agreements," Council of Development Finance Agencies/Tax Increment Financing Symposium, Washington, D.C., Nov. 7, 2006
• "Renewing America’s Infrastructure," Urban Land Institute, Los Angeles, Calif., Oct. 19, 2006 (moderator)
• "Public-Private Partnerships in the Construction Industry - The American Experience," International Construction Committee and Energy Section of the International Bar, Sept. 19, 2006
• "Chicago’s Downtown TIF Strategy," Chicago Central Area Committee, Sept. 4, 2006
• "New Business District Act Presentation," Community Development Authorities Finance Seminar, Aug. 21, 2006, Washington, D.C.
• "City of Sterling, Illinois and Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Whiteside County, Illinois," Council of Development Finance Agencies Pre-Summit Workshop: Exploring Tax Increment Financing, May 31, 2006, Austin, Texas
• "Wal-Mart Distribution Center and Timber Trails and Gilberts Towne Center," Illinois Tax Increment Association, April 21, 2006, Springfield, Ill.
• "Whiteside County, Illinois – County TIF Act Opportunity," Whiteside County Board, March 24, 2006
• "Beyond Kelo: Reexamining Eminent Domain in Today’s Challenging Planning Climate," DePaul University – The Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, Jan. 25, 2006 (with Brian E. Martin)
• "Sterling and Whiteside County; Hanover Park and Morton Grove; U.S. Cellular; Butte County, CA; and City of Chicago TIFs," Urban Land Institute Chicago Young Leaders Financing Track, Sept. 21, 2005
• "City of Sterling, Illinois: Redevelopment of Former 700-Acre Steel Mill," April 6, 2005
• "12 Principles for Successful Public/Private Partnerships," Urban Land Institute, Spring 2005
• "Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities: Dreams and Realities," Urban Land Institute, Spring 2004
• "Public Sector Credit Enhancement: Can It Save Your Project?" Urban Land Institute, 1996 (Contributing Author/Editor)
• "Where to Get the Money Today: Prospect the Public Sector for Gap, Bridge, and Other Financing," Urban Land Institute, 1996 (Contributing Author/Editor)
• "The Holistic Approach to Inner City Development: A Bottoms Up Approach," Urban Land Institute, 1996 (Contributing Author/Editor)
• "Recycling Vacant and Blighted Central City Industrial Areas," Urban Land Institute, 1996 (Contributing Author)
• "Science and Research Parks: Universities and Their Cities Take the Lead in Creating Jobs," Urban Land Institute, 1995 (Contributing Author)
• "War Between The States - Economic Incentives or Give-Aways," Urban Land Institute, 1994 (Contributing Author/Editor)
• "Financing Land Acquisition and Development," National Association of Homebuilders, 1989 (Contributing Author)

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law - Former Council Member
• American College of Construction Lawyers - Former President
• American College of Real Estate Lawyers - Former Chairman, Smart Growth Task Force
• Chicago Central Area Committee - Board of Directors; Chair
• ChildServ and Homes for Children Foundation - Board of Directors
• Council of Development Finance Agencies - Steering Committee, Tax Increment Financing Coalition
• Economic Club of Chicago - Member
• Illinois Tax Increment Financing Association - Board of Directors
• International Bar Association - Former Co-Chair, Committee on International Construction Projects
• Lambda Alpha, Ely Chapter - Former President

Civic Involvement and Honors

• Lutheran General Hospital Governing Board - Advocate Health Care System, Former Member
• MacMurray College - Former Trustee
• The Presbyterian Home - Trustee; Member - Investment Committee and Real Estate Facilities Committee
• University of Chicago - Music Department Visiting Committee, Member
• Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Governing Board, Member
• Urban Land Institute - Trustee (2000-2009); Chair, Chicago District Council Infrastructure Committee; Member - ULI Infrastructure Initiative; Former Chairman, Public/Private Partnership Council; Former Chairman, Chicago District Council; Member - Public Development and Infrastructure Council
• Urban Land Institute Foundation - Governor
• Illinois Leading Lawyers (Construction Law; Public Finance Law)
• Super Lawyers (Bonds/Government Finance; Real Estate; Construction/Surety)
• Who’s Who in American Law
• Who’s Who Legal
• Who’s Who in the Midwest
• Who’s Who in America
• Who’s Who in the World