What We Do
Whether it is i) diving into the deep end on a distressed situation, ii) analyzing and executing a complicated real estate portfolio or asset workout, iii) developing and executing a complete strategic portfolio plan or realignment, iv) functioning as a part-time or interim CFO/SVP of Capital Markets, or mentoring an emerging candidate, or v) assisting as a “utility player” on a transaction, Chicago Washington provides the STRATEGY, STRUCTURE, EXPERTISE, RELATIONSHIPS and EXECUTION advice and implementation to get it done RIGHT.
Founded on Advocacy and Alignment
Chicago Washington is a commercial real estate advisory firm that provides distressed debt and restructuring/workout services, strategic transactional expertise on capital market situations, and "part-time" CFO/SVP of Capital Markets-type services for Commercial Real Estate ("CRE") portfolios or asset specific situations.
- Advising clients through distress situations and workouts on portfolios and asset specific situations;
- Advising owners on strategic asset and portfolio plans, and executing complicated capital market transactions involving debt, JVs, acquisitions and dispositions;
- 10-year advisory history (following a 20-year career working for large public and private CRE owners as their primary finance/capital markets executive) with extensive experience and success involving most asset classes, lender types, and partner/investor structures;
- Mid to large ($50 million to $2 billion) CRE situations that require comprehensive strategies for loan restructures and/or capital structure repositioning; preceding or in conjunction with capital transaction(s) such as loan modifications/refinancings, JVs and asset sales;
- Assignments generally require ingenuity, patience, sophisticated approaches to align asset and capital strategy, relationships with market participants, tough negotiations and diligent focus on documents and process;
- Attention to the clients “big picture” with understanding and thoughtful consideration of non-capital related issues (organization/family, property operations, continuing relationships, staffing, tax implications, etc.);
- Transaction experience throughout the United States.
Chicago Washington's approach to an assignment generally involves:
- Evaluating the overall asset and capital "landscape";
- Identifying various approaches to optimize value based on the objectives of the client and the then current environment for opportunities, risk and feasibility;
- Matching various asset strategies with capital strategies, making recommendations considering all factors at the owner, portfolio and sponsor levels;
- Structuring and executing debt and equity/joint venture transactions, and identifying (and executing) ideal scenarios for acquisitions and dispositions;
- Providing executive-level Finance/Capital-Markets leadership and management for portfolios and assets; and
- Guiding parties through transitions, such as non-profits maximizing utility/value of real estate assets, or generational issues within CRE-oriented family organizations.
REALIZING YOUR DREAM: We believe that the #1 rule in business is to stay in business; and in commercial real estate, capital market misjudgments can have consequential results. We keep the “long view” in perspective and want to achieve the following for our clients: i) downside protection, ii) long term wealth preservation, iii) liquidity and various sources of cash flow, iv) control with independence from outside entities, v) infrastructure for investment, development and/or management, vi) various sources of capital, and vii) opportunities and multiple avenues for growth.