Charles W. Russell
Member

Mr. Russell is a member of the firm, and leader of the Commercial Real Estate Practice Group and the Real Estate Developers Industry Team. He also serves on the Financial Institutions and Capital Markets, and Municipalities and Quasi-Governmental Agencies Industry Teams. Mr. Russell focuses his practice on real estate financing, corporate financing, commercial real estate sales and acquisitions, leasing, zoning, land use, municipal law, and public authorities law.  He represents numerous lenders, developers, and corporations in such areas as commercial lending, borrowing, real estate development, and leasing.  Mr. Russell is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and New York Super Lawyers for real estate law.  Prior to joining Harris Beach in 2006, Mr. Russell was a partner of another Rochester area law firm.

His representative transactions include:

• Represented banking institutions in connection with: construction and permanent loan facilities totaling more than $2 million to a local retailer, corporate credit facilities totaling $7 million to a regional optical company, financing of a sustainable-energy incubator project in excess of $2.8 million involving Industrial Development Agency (IDA) assistance, and an aircraft loan of nearly $1.5 million (including arranging for proper filing of related liens with the FAA and International Registry).
• Represented regional bank in the sale and leaseback of a portfolio of its bank branches.
• Represented a local lending institution in the acquisition and development of both fee and leasehold properties for use as branch banking locations.
• Acted as lender’s counsel in connection with the financing and refinancing of various aircraft for business purposes, including filings with the FAA and International Registry.
• Represented a Fortune 500 company in connection with its purchase of an approximately 570,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Monroe County.
• Served as local counsel to a Real Estate Investment Trust in giving local counsel enforceability opinions on loan transactions, some in excess of $200 million.
• Assisted large national real estate holding company in the refinancing and sale of a substantial industrial and office park with a purchase price of approximately $55 million.
• Acted as borrower’s counsel for a Central New York manufacturing company in connection with numerous corporate and real estate loan facilities totaling more than $8 million.
• Represented a state agency in the acquisition and condemnation of an entire city block in Western New York consisting of commercial, municipal and residential property.
• Served as counsel to numerous landlords and tenants in a variety of lease transactions for office and industrial space.