Kevin J. Crabtree

Kevin Crabtree is a commercial real estate transactional attorney who specializes in structuring and negotiating joint ventures, purchase and sale transactions and loans.  Kevin’s primary focus is on transactions involving office, life sciences, industrial, multifamily, retail and hospitality properties.  Kevin also assists his clients in navigating the issues that can arise when disputes or other unexpected events occur, including negotiating the restructure and workout of joint ventures and loans.  

Purchase and Sale Transactions  

Kevin works with a wide range of clients including owners, investors, developers, operating companies and other investment sponsors, on transactions involving office, life sciences, industrial, multifamily, retail and hospitality properties. Kevin’s clients rely on his ability to efficiently structure, negotiate and close the purchase and sale of commercial real estate assets, including both direct sales and entity level transfers.  

Joint Venture Transactions and Related Workouts 

Kevin represents investment funds and other capital allocators, as well as developers, operating companies and other investment sponsors, who seek his counsel with respect to their joint ventures. He is experienced in analyzing, structuring and negotiating a wide range of joint venture transactions, including those relating to the acquisition, recapitalization, ownership and development of all types of real estate assets. His clients also rely on him to develop and implement joint venture workouts and restructures of all types and to assist in the enforcement of remedies under joint venture agreements. 

Financing Transactions and Related Workouts 

Kevin’s practice includes negotiating, documenting and closing complex real estate secured financing transactions and mezzanine loans. He has successfully completed numerous loan assumption, property substitution, loan defeasance and other similar transactions for his clients. His clients also seek his advice in structuring, negotiating and implementing loan modifications, workouts and restructures of all types. 

Purchase and Sale Transactions  

Represented Ridge Capital Investors, LLC in its acquisition of 180 Howard Street, a 211,000-square-foot office building in San Francisco, California, and the negotiation of related joint ventures.

Represented the Bartolomei family in their sale of a majority stake in the Farmhouse Inn, a 25-key luxury resort in Forestville, California, to Foley Entertainment Group.

Represented the buyer in its acquisition of a pool of defaulted loans secured by 20 separate multifamily projects and negotiated a related joint venture.

Represented Harbert Management Corporation in its acquisition of Redmond Town Center, a mixed-use development and shopping center located in Redmond, Washington. 

Represented Harbert Management Corporation in its acquisition of High Street, a 628,000-square-foot, high-profile mixed-use project containing 99 multi-housing units, 174,705 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment options and 330,369 square feet of office space in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Represented Ridge Capital Investors, LLC in its acquisition of Austin Commons, a 208-unit multifamily project in Hayward, California, and Gateway Apartments a 236-unit multifamily project in San Leandro, California, and the negotiation of a related joint venture with a commingled fund. 

Represented Soma Capital Partners in its acquisition of Murphy Crossing, a five-building, 368,500-square-foot office and research and development campus in Milpitas, California, and the negotiation of a related joint venture with a foreign investment fund. 

Joint Venture Transactions 

Represented Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. in its negotiation of a joint venture with Uber and the Golden State Warriors for the development of two office buildings aggregating 580,000 rentable square feet, adjacent to the Golden State Warriors arena. 

Represented Four Corners Properties, LLC in the negotiation of a joint venture with Rockwood Capital for the acquisition and redevelopment of a 259,000-square-foot office campus located in San Jose, California, and the negotiation of a related asset management agreement and related loan documents. 

Represented Mile Rock Capital in its negotiation of a joint venture with a local sponsor for the acquisition of a 264-unit multifamily project and a 296-unit multifamily project, each in Austin, Texas.  

Represented The Minkoff Group in its negotiation of preferred equity joint ventures with both the land owner and PGIM Real Estate for the development of a new 180,000-square-foot, Class A, transit-oriented office building at 100 Altair Way in Sunnyvale, California. 

Represented Placemakr in the creation and structuring of an employee investment joint venture, the creation and structuring of a syndicated investment joint venture, and the negotiation of joint ventures with a private equity fund, all for the acquisition of a 193-unit multifamily project in Nashville, Tennessee.

Represented Premia Capital, LLC in the creation and structuring of a syndicated investment joint venture for the development of 1180 Main Street, a 126,000-square-foot office building in Redwood City, California. 

Represented West | Tech Properties, LLC in the negotiation of a joint venture with an institutional investor for the creation of a portfolio of life sciences properties, including a 205,000-square-foot six-building campus in Bothell, Washington. 

Represented client in the creation and structuring of a syndicated investment joint venture, and the negotiation of a contribution agreement and a related joint venture with the landowner, for the acquisition and repositioning of a Northern California resort. 

Financing Transactions 

Represented Canyon Equity in the refinancing of Amangani, a 40-key, ultra-luxury resort, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. 

Represented Canyon Equity in the refinancing of Amangiri, a 34-key, ultra-luxury resort, in Utah, and the adjoining Camp Sarika featuring ten luxury tented pavilions. 

Represented Four Corners Properties in obtaining construction financing for the construction of a mixed-use office and multifamily project in Menlo Park, California. 

Represented Soma Capital Partners in the financing of Murphy Crossing, a five-building, 368,500-square-foot office and research and development campus in Milpitas, California. 

Represented Woodside Hotel Group in the financing of The Stanford Park Hotel in Menlo Park, California, Napa Valley Lodge in Yountville, California, Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa in Lafayette, California, and The Lodge at Bodega Bay, in Bodega Bay, California. 

Represented client in the refinancing of a 270,000-square-foot Class A office building in San Francisco, California. 

Honors & Recognitions

Best Lawyers, Real Estate Law, 2019-2024

Professional Affiliations

Board of Directors of NAIOP Corporate, 2013-2014

Board of Directors of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of NAIOP, 2010-2015

Board of Directors of the Belden Club, Director in charge of philanthropy, 2008-2011