Kathryn has experience analyzing and counseling clients on a wide variety of real estate issues, as well as managing complex real estate transactions.
Kathryn’s practice focuses on the representation of corporate landlords in commercial retail leasing transactions. She has experience negotiating commercial retail leases with national, regional and local tenants, which have ranged in size from anchor tenants, to restaurants, to small shop retailers. She also has experience representing tenants in commercial retail lease negotiations, as well as representing both landlords and tenants in industrial and office lease negotiations. Her representation has included: drafting and negotiating leases and guarantees (including other ancillary documents, such as estoppels and SNDAs); analysis of existing lease and/or title restrictions; and minor lease dispute resolution.
Additionally, Kathryn has experience representing corporations (both as buyers and sellers) in the acquisition, development, re-development and disposition of commercial, industrial, office, and retail properties. Her representation has included: drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements (including any applicable closing documents); lease review and analysis; title and survey review and analysis; and related closing/project management.
Representative Experience
- In 2020, Benesch exclusively represented Site Centers Corp. on all lease amendments throughout Site’s portfolio required as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Represented a multi-faceted redevelopment of an existing shopping center located in the Chicago, IL area that encompasses nearly 700,000 square feet. The project includes a land sale to a prominent national retailer that owns an adjacent parcel to allow for a store expansion by that retailer, as well as significant related site work. Benesch is coordinating all aspects of the redevelopment and transaction for the client.
- Ongoing representation of a global real estate investor in all leasing transactions, asset management work, and multiple redevelopment projects across an 11 million square foot portfolio of malls and shopping centers throughout the U.S.
- Represented the owner/developer in the leasing of an enclosed regional mall into an urban, mixed-use project, including experiential retail, office, parking, and a multifamily apartment project.
- Ongoing representation of multiple owner/developers (including publicly held REITs) in numerous leasing transactions nationwide with national, regional, and local tenants.
- Served as retail leasing counsel in several regions (including West, North, and Midwest) for an owner and operator of grocery-anchored shopping centers.
- Represented several of the largest shopping center owners in the United States in the negotiation and documentation of rent relief amendments due to COVID-19. This included the negotiation and documentation of over 1,000 lease amendments representing hundreds of millions of dollars in annual rent.
