Meyer Last

Meyer Last’s career spanned more than four decades, during which he advised clients in some of the biggest real estate transactions in New York City.

Meyer’s deep understanding of the real estate market enabled him to offer clients pragmatic, strategic advice on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, with a particular emphasis on large commercial leasing for both landlords and tenants. Meyer represented one of the parties in the largest leases concluded in New York City for multiple years.

Clients trust Meyer’s expertise in relation to acquisitions and dispositions, facilitating ground-up developments and commercial condominiums, and arranging financings and restructurings.

Legal 500 recognized Meyer as one of New York City’s leading real estate attorneys. He has served as an annual panelist on PLI’s commercial leasing program and is regularly quoted by the press on industry trends. The New York Observer and Real Estate Weekly profiled Meyer, highlighting his achievements on notable matters and client work.

Work Highlights

• Citigroup, as tenant, in its 2,700,000-square-foot headquarters lease transaction with SL Green Corp. for the buildings located at 388 and 390 Greenwich Street in New York City.
• Brookfield Office Properties in the leasing of more than 3,000,000 square feet at Brookfield Place (formerly World Financial Center) and Manhattan West, including leases to Bank of America, Scotiabank, RBC, Jones Day, Skadden Arps, NHL, College Board, BNY Mellon, Jane Street Capital, Tullett Prebon, and others.
• RXR Realty as landlord in connection with all of its office leasing at 1330 Sixth Avenue, 340 Madison Avenue, 450 Lexington Avenue, 237 Park Avenue, 620 Sixth Avenue, 32 Old Slip, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, and Pier 57 in New York City.
• UBS AG in connection with all of its major facilities, including its 900,000-square-foot headquarters at 1285 Avenue of the Americas; the construction and net leasing of the 1.1 million-square-foot Newport Office Center VII in Jersey City, NJ; leases of 700,000 square feet at Lincoln Harbor, NJ, 500,000 square feet at One North Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, and 400,000 square feet at One Stamford Forum, Stamford, CT; and the ground lease, construction, and subsequent acquisition of its North American Data Center.
• Orda Management, as landlord, in connection with leases of approximately 200,000 square feet each to Facebook and BuzzFeed at 225 and 233 Park Avenue South near Union Square in New York City.
• The Retirement Systems of Alabama in connection with all of its leasing activity at 55 Water Street in New York City, the largest office building in Manhattan at 4,000,000 square feet, including the 950,000-square-foot transaction with the McGraw-Hill Companies for its Standard & Poor’s division (which included the condominiumization of the building), the leasing of 550,000 square feet to HIP and 424,000 square feet to the New York City Department of Transportation.
• George Comfort & Sons in the leasing of 900,000 square feet to Nomura Holding America Inc. at Worldwide Plaza, 825 Eighth Avenue in New York City.
• Tishman Speyer in the leasing of 550,000 square feet to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, 225,000 square feet to BP Products North America, and 300,000 square feet to Wells Fargo Bank, each in the three-building complex at 10-30 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL.
• Kaye Scholer LLP as tenant in the leasing of 250,000 square feet at 250 West 55th Street in New York City.
• Debevoise & Plimpton LLP as tenant in the leasing of over 500,000 square feet at 919 Third Avenue in New York City.

Acquisitions, dispositions, and development matters:

• Citigroup in connection with the bank exercising its option to purchase its headquarters at 388-390 Greenwich Street in Tribeca from SL Green Realty for $2 billion.
• Brookfield in connection with its $200 million acquisition of the headquarters of the New York Mercantile Exchange at One North End Avenue.
• RXR Realty in the creation and sale of an office condominium at 620 Avenue of the Americas to Local 32BJ SEIU.
• UBS AG in the sale of its one-half interest in the 1.1 million-square-foot office building at 299 Park Avenue in New York City.
• Brookfield in a joint venture to develop an 800,000-square-foot office building at 100 Bishopsgate, London, England.
• Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in the sale of the 560,000-square-foot office complex at 695 East Main Street, Stamford, CT.
• Reckson Associates Realty Corp. in the purchase from Citibank, N.A. of the 1.4 million-square-foot building at One Court Square in Long Island City, and the net lease of the building back to Citibank.
• Brookfield in the construction and net leasing to Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce of the 1.1 million-square-foot building at 300 Madison Avenue in New York City.
• Morgan Stanley in the creation and sale of the retail condominium at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
• Equinox Holdings, Inc. in the acquisition of Sports Club/LA and Reebok Sports Clubs from Millennium Partners.
• Park Tower Group in the acquisition and development of the 21-acre waterfront site under development known as Greenpoint Landing in Brooklyn.
• Koeppel Companies in the sale of 575 Lexington Avenue and 26 Broadway in New York City.

Capital markets, financing, and restructuring representations:

• Tishman Speyer Properties in the $620 million financing of the Chicago EOP portfolio.
• Heng Sang Realty Corp. in the refinancing of 503 Broadway in New York City.
• Koeppel Companies in the refinancing of 575 Lexington Avenue in New York City.
• Highgate Hotels and Rockpoint Group in the financing of the Milford Plaza Hotel in New York City.
• Berkshire Hathaway Corporation as purchaser/lender in two sale/leaseback transactions, one involving 45 Motel 6 facilities nationwide and the second involving 143 Red Roof Inns.
• Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America in the formation of a $2 billion private real estate investment trust involving 70 office and industrial properties nationwide.
• Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation in a $175 million senior secured credit facility to fund the acquisition of AMF Bowling Worldwide, Inc. by Code Hennessey & Simmons LLC.