Blair Gilbert SIOR

Brief Profile

A significant achievement was locating, identifying, & successfully negotiating a 45-year ground lease valued over $75 million for a well-known national client.

Full Profile

Over the course of my career as a Real Estate Director, Senior Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer, I have consistently expanded my industry knowledge and achieved impressive results. Through my negotiations, I consistently achieve significant cost savings for clients by securing favorable lease and acquisition terms, while also acquiring substantial considerations for leasehold improvements. I regularly conduct thorough examinations and evaluations of regional properties, strategically realigning existing and acquired facilities through development and acquisition, resulting in optimized outcomes. In each instance, I not only ensure the properties met specific requirements but also confirm that they were either already zoned appropriately or had the potential to be zoned for my clients' intended use. After identifying suitable locations, I take the initiative to contact the owners to determine availability. Once interest is established, I initiate negotiations for acquisition or land lease agreements, setting clear timelines for due diligence. In many cases, I take the lead in reaching out to the relevant municipalities to explore potential economic development incentives, opportunity zone (OZ) criteria, and other ordinances or regulations that could impact my clients' plans. During these processes, I often participate as the primary point of contact with local zoning officials and boards. I present to these groups and, when necessary, address municipal officials to advocate for my clients' interests. It is always my responsibility to oversee the entire process from start to finish, managing all the tasks concurrently for multiple clients. I consistently guide projects through construction completion and the issuance of final U&O (use and occupancy) permits. Upon occasion when a project is complete, I have represented and returned it to the investment marketplace on behalf of my client.