Steven P. Heller | Gilchrist & Rutter PC

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	Email Steven P. Heller Phone: 310-393-4000 Professional Associations and Memberships Published Works Connect with me on

Steven P. Heller

Partner

Steven Heller focuses on commercial real estate transactions, primarily leasing, development, sales/acquisitions, financing, construction, mobile home park matters and associated corporate matters. He has particular experience in leasing retail, office and industrial properties.

As a former Director of Leasing with BH Properties, Mr. Heller oversaw the company’s leasing activities in 13 states. He was previously an associate attorney with Parker Milliken, with Gilchrist & Rutter, and with Pircher, Nichols & Meeks.

Mr. Heller is a member of the firm's Real Estate, Sustainability, and Mobilehome Park practice groups. He has written several articles for professional journals and business publications on commercial leasing strategy and retail development matters (see Published Works link on this page).

Mr. Heller received his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley - Boalt Hall. He also received his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, after attending the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Benjamin Franklin Scholar.

Representative Experience

Shopping Center Development. Development, leasing, sales/acquisitions and similar matters for various shopping centers and retail centers primarily in Southern California and Arizona, representing a variety of local and regional owners.
National Retailers. Negotiation and documentation of numerous retail lease transactions with national retailers, including “boxes” like Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Staples, TJX, PetSmart, Tractor Supply, and Ross, theaters, and also restaurants and “quick serve” chains like Starbucks, Subway, In-N-Out Burger, and Chipotle.
Institutional Office Leasing. Negotiation and documentation of numerous office lease transactions for high-rise, suburban, and other major office projects primarily in downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Orange County, as well as in Northern California, Philadelphia, and Salt Lake City area, representing REITs and institutional landlords as well as private investors
Industrial Properties. Leasing, sales/acquisitions and similar matters for various industrial properties, primarily in California, representing various national, regional and local owners.
Served as Leasing Director. Oversaw all business and legal aspects of leasing activities for a privately held real estate company with over $500M of retail, office and industrial real estate in 13 states. Routine direct contact with national retailers, large industrial users and other tenants of all types, as well as with outside brokers and in-house acquisitions, leasing and asset management teams.
Leasing and Sale of Regional Shopping Center. Handled numerous “big box” and “quick serve” leases with national retailers, and ultimately worked on sale of The Shops at Rossmoor, a successful 434,000-square-foot regional retail center in Seal Beach, CA, which features several national retailers (including Kohl's, Toys "R" Us, Marshalls, Ann Taylor Loft, Sprouts, In-N-Out Burger, California Pizza Kitchen, and Pei Wei).
Restructure ‘Electronic Arts’ Lease at Playa Vista Office Campus. Represented Maguire Investments in a 120,000 sf lease restructure and 10-year extension for Electronic Arts, a leading software and video game developer, formerly the sole tenant and operator of the 260,000 sf Playa Vista office campus, which has extensive amenities, including a fitness facility, outdoor soccer field and basketball and volleyball courts, and state of the art security and technology.
Lease of Building to the “Grammys”. Represented the landlord in a lease of an entire 3 story building (nearly 67,000 square feet of office space) to the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), the organization that gives out the Grammy Awards, for its headquarters in Santa Monica, California (which NARAS subsequently purchased).
Sale/Leaseback of Kodak Hollywood Facility. Represented Eastman Kodak in the sale/leaseback of its102,800 square foot Kodak Hollywood Campus, a two-building complex that houses Eastman Kodak offices, production facilities and screening rooms.
Redevelopment of Former Wal-Mart. Negotiated business terms and documented two adjacent 50,000 sq. ft. leases in an empty former Wal-Mart in central Washington State to Amazon.com (for a call center) and to a national big box sporting goods retailer.
Lease of Large Texas Industrial Facility. Negotiated and documented the leasing of a 500,000 sq. ft. industrial facility in El Paso, Texas to a national consumer products manufacturer.
Lease to LAUSD Charter School in West Los Angeles. Negotiated and documented the leasing of our client’s 50,000 square foot industrial / “creative office” facility in West Los Angeles to New West Charter Middle School for relocation of its LAUSD charter school.
Sale of National Portfolio. Represented an institutional real estate equity fund in the sale of a national portfolio of 21 retail and industrial sites.

L.A. CRA Parking Restructure. Negotiated and documented the restructuring of owner participation agreements and ground leases for the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency with respect to complex parking arrangements among office and mixed use developments in downtown Los Angeles.
Sale of Santa Monica Apartment Building. Negotiated and documented the sale of a multi-unit apartment project in Santa Monica, California.
Other Projects. Negotiated and documented several construction, architectural and consultant agreements with respect to office, retail and industrial projects of various size and complexity. Documented financing work for several large Southern California office projects. Handled wide variety of other real estate and business transactional matters, including asset management, brokerage and property management agreements, title review, tenant representation, financing and corporate formation and maintenance.

Professional Associations and Memberships:

International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
Member, 2005 - Present

Moriah Society Real Estate Council (affiliated with American Jewish University) Executive Member, 2008 – Present

Building Owners' & Managers' Association of Greater Los Angeles,
Member, 1997 - Present

Westwood South Homeowners Association
Member of Board of Directors, 2009 - Present

Los Angeles County Bar Association
Member, 1995 - Present

California Bar Association, Real Property and Business Law Sections
Member, 1995 - Present