Real Estate
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Wayne S. Cook, Jr. represents various institutional lenders in real estate financing transactions, including mortgage loans and mezzanine loans. He also represents clients in connection with construction loans, real estate acquisitions, dispositions, workouts, and restructuring of distressed loans on behalf of borrowers and lenders, and the purchase and sale of various loans. Recently, Mr. Cook's work has included large foreclosure actions and deed in-lieu resolutions in numerous states. Prior to joining Windels Marx, Mr. Cook worked at a boutique general practice firm as an associate where he focused on representing private lenders and developers in real estate matters. He gained valuable finance and capital markets experience at Prudential Securities and Credit Suisse First Boston before attending law school. Representations of Note Represented an established real estate investment/insurance company in closing over $1 billion of term and / or construction loans across the U.S. within a 2 year period. Represented ULLICO in a $420 million construction loan to the developers (a joint venture of Brookfield Properties and G&S Investors) for Phase 2 of Hudson Exchange in Jersey City, NJ. The project consists of approximately 800 residential units, a Shop-Rite as anchor tenant plus 115,000 sf of additional retail and green space tied to the Sixth Street Embankment, an elevated rail line. Represented the lender in a $135 million “exit facility” loan to a REIT with properties throughout Texas, which was shifting to a new property class, while also contending with a bankruptcy reorganization and SEC investigation. Represented a prominent lender in a $50 million loan to the purchaser of the historical Wildenstein townhouse on Manhattan's Upper East Side, which was noted as the priciest townhouse to be sold in the City's history at the time. Represented Fortuna Realty Group in its acquisition of the Wyndham Hotel in the Flatiron District of New York, NY. Served as counsel to a prominent real estate developer in its recapitalization by the California State Teachers' Retirement System. Counseled a construction lender in connection with a $158 million loan to two SPEs to finance the construction of two buildings in Los Angeles, CA. Represented the seller in its $24.3 million sale of a fully occupied 127,771 sf warehouse in Pompano Beach, FL. The warehouse is the headquarters of Spice Lab, a seasoning and cookware company. Represented the petitioner in bankruptcy proceedings pertaining to 162-164 East 82nd Street (New York, NY), and their subsequent $17.5 million purchase at auction of the property, including a first mortgage loan for $7.2 million of the total purchase price. Practice Areas Real Estate Real Estate Finance Joint Venture/Equity Investments Acquisitions & Sales Financial Transactions Hospitality Workouts & Restructurings COVID-19 Response & Resources Education J.D., New York Law School, 1998 B.S., finance, St. John's University Admissions New York Contact info:[email protected] Click here to visit website
Melissa Garcia
I engaged Wayne S. Cook to represent our small investment group in the refinancing of a mixed-use property in Brooklyn. His deep knowledge of real estate finance, particularly the structuring of mezzanine loans, was immediately apparent and gave our lenders significant confidence. He efficiently navigated the complexities of the intercreditor agreements, and his background working with institutional lenders was a clear asset in anticipating their requirements. The final documents were thorough, and the transaction closed successfully. However, the experience was not without its frustrations. There were periods of several days where our emails went unanswered, requiring follow-up calls to his office. While he was always well-prepared for our scheduled calls, getting ad-hoc clarifications on minor points felt like pulling teeth. His fee structure was clear from the outset, but at times the value felt more aligned with the document drafting than with proactive guidance. For a straightforward mortgage loan, he is undoubtedly capable. For more nuanced deals where ongoing strategic dialogue is needed, you may find the client service aspect merely adequate. He knows his material cold, but managing client expectations and maintaining consistent communication could be improved.
