Simon J. Elkharrat

Simon Elkharrat represents owners, developers, financial institutions, institutional investors, and REITs in complex commercial real estate transactions.

Clients rely on Simon’s experience with financings, acquisitions and dispositions, leasing (including space leasing and ground leasing), joint ventures, and development for commercial, mixed-use, residential, and hospitality properties and portfolios.

Best Lawyers included Simon in its “Ones to Watch” list for his work in real estate law. He was also listed in Commercial Observer's “30 Under 30” feature as one of the Top Leasing and Sales Professionals of 2018.

In 2021, The Legal Aid Society of New York honored Simon with its annual Pro Bono Publico Award for his outstanding service to Legal Aid and its clients. The award recognized his work advising The Legal Aid Society in its 200,000-square-foot lease at 40 Worth Street in New York City.

Work Highlights

• Brookfield:
  • $1.25 billion financing of the Grace Building, an iconic 1.6 million-square-foot tower located next to Bryant Park in New York City.
  • $900 million refinancing of 225 Liberty Street in New York City.
  • $835 million financing for One New York Plaza in New York City.
  • development financing for 655 New York Avenue, a 768,000-square-foot trophy mixed-use project in the Convention Center neighborhood of Washington, DC.
  • acquisition, development, and financing for its Greenpoint Landing developments in Brooklyn.
     
• A joint venture led by Taconic Investment Partners LLC and including BFC Partners, L+M, and the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group in connection with its $260 million loan from Square Mile Capital Management for the development of 202 Broome Street in the Essex Crossing development.
   
• Trinity Church Real Estate:
  • its sale of a 49% in an 11-building portfolio of office properties to Norges and Hines for approximately $1.56 billion in a transaction valuing the portfolio at approximately $3.55 billion.
  • its $580 million acquisition of the leasehold on 375 Hudson Street from Tishman Speyer.
     
• RFR Realty in connection with numerous financing transactions for properties in New York City.
   
• RXR Realty in a transaction with New York Presbyterian Hospital, the largest hospital in New York City, whereby the hospital will occupy over 500,000 square feet of office space at 237 Park Avenue, a 1.25 million-square-foot, 21-story office tower in midtown Manhattan.
   
• An institutional investor in connection with numerous acquisitions and financings of office, mixed-use, multi-family, and industrial properties throughout the US.