Profile
Edward Baker focuses his practice on commercial real estate transaction matters. He has broad experience representing developers and operators in the acquisition and disposition of office buildings, retail centers, multi-family, and mixed-use developments. Edward routinely represents lenders, banking institutions and borrowers in all types of commercial loans ranging from acquisition and construction loans to workouts and refinancings. He represents tenants and landlords in the drafting and negotiation of commercial leases across all asset classes including industrial, office and restaurants.
Edward also handles applications for rezonings, conditional uses, platting, and other land use/zoning matters before municipalities and counties on behalf of developers and business owners.
Capabilities
Experience
- Represented a debt fund in the negotiation, due diligence underwriting and closing of a $21 million acquisition and pre-development loan for the former Sears site at the Southland Mall.°
- Represented a developer in the negotiation and execution of flagship agreements with an international luxury hotel brand for the development of a 100+ unit luxury condo-hotel in North Carolina.°
- Represented a multi-family joint venture in the negotiation and acquisition of a five-property assemblage in Aventura from four different sellers to allow for a 223-unit multi-family development.°
- Represented a landlord in the negotiation of a lease for a 5,000 square foot waterfront restaurant.°
- Represented a corporate caterer in the negotiation of various leases for prep kitchens throughout the Northeastern United States.°
- Represented an operator in the drafting, negotiation, and closing of a sale with seller financing of a historic office building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.°
- Represented a developer in a $25 million multi-family construction loan with a non-institutional lender to allow for a 132-unit multi-family development in Central Florida.°
- Represented an assisted living facility operator in the refinance and subsequent $25 million sale of two facilities with over 300 beds in Broward County, Florida.°
- Represented an institutional lender in various acquisition and recapitalization loans to a mixed-use developer in excess of $40 million, collectively.°
- Represented a hotel operator before the City of Homestead and successfully obtained an amendment to a planned unit development to allow for the development of a seven-story extended stay hotel.°
- Represented a school operator before the City of Coral Gables and successfully obtained a Conditional Use Permit to establish a private school.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Baker prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, P.A.
- Director of Communications, New York State Assembly, 2012-2019
- Summer Associate (Legal), Silverstein Properties, 2018
- Legal Intern, NYC Board of Standards & Appeals, 2017
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, “Ones to Watch,” 2024-2025
- Member, Young Leaders, Urban Land Institute (ULI) Southeast Florida/Caribbean, 2021-Present
- Member, Young Professionals Council, Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc., 2021-Present
- Member, Legislative Committee, Builders Association of South Florida, 2021-Present
Credentials
- J.D., New York Law School, 2019
- M.A., Political Science, Urban Policy and Administration, with Honors, Brooklyn College, 2013
- B.A., Political Science, Loyola University New Orleans, 2008
- Florida
- New York
- Spanish, Conversational