Complex Commercial Real Estate Deals and Corporate Transactions

Tom serves as Chairman of Willcox Savage and practices in both the Commercial Real Estate and Corporate groups. He represents developers, lenders, large private landowners, and operating companies in complex development, finance, joint venture, and M&A matters, including public-private mixed-use projects, shopping centers and market and tax credits projects. Tom guides transactions from initial strategy through closing, including venture formation (including joint ventures), land acquisition, financing, construction and management. His corporate work spans corporate governance, private securities offerings, and the purchase and sale of companies, including joint ventures and transactions for American subsidiaries of foreign manufacturers. Clients turn to him to structure deals that manage risk, anticipate regulatory and infrastructure needs.

Notable Work & Achievements

Public-Private and Urban Mixed-Use

Led the legal strategy for a $171 million public-private partnership in downtown Norfolk, aligning private financing for a 22-story office tower, retail, and apartments with municipal financing for two public garages. Negotiated comprehensive development, utility relocation, and risk allocation agreements to deliver a complex urban project.

Retail and Destination Development

Advised a NYSE-listed REIT on the acquisition and development of a 350,000-square-foot premium outlet center, negotiating infrastructure commitments and economic grants with the Norfolk Economic Development Authority. Guided a regional developer through site acquisition, entitlements, and delivery of a 275,000-plus square-foot shopping center in the Williamsburg/James City County market.

Multifamily Acquisitions and Capital Stacks

Represented the acquirer of an 800-plus unit multifamily community, structuring a senior mortgage exceeding $55 million with mezzanine financing. Executed a purchase of a defaulted note and coordinated foreclosure to assemble additional acreage for multifamily development.

Joint Ventures for Large-Scale Residential

Structured joint ventures for a 280-plus unit HUD-financed apartment community and a separate 400-plus unit Richmond project. Prepared contribution documents and definitive operating agreement to establish governance, and capital requirements from formation through construction and lease-up.

Programmatic Development and Dispositions

Advised developer for a national retailer’s chain of stores in Hampton Roads and other markets, managing assemblage, entitlements, construction, leasing to anchor tenant, and sale of stabilized assets to institutional buyers. For a Fortune 500 company, repositioned a 60-acre tract in Alexandria, including disposition tied to the future 2.5-million-square-foot USPTO headquarters.

Like-Kind Exchanges and Portfolio Strategy

Completed numerous Section 1031 exchanges, including installment sale structures, to preserve gain deferral while meeting identification and exchange timelines. Counseled large landowners on partial dispositions and reciprocal operating and use agreements, preserving long-term development optionality and shared infrastructure economics.

Corporate M&A, ESOP, and Growth Transactions

Coordinated the sale of an ESOP-owned ship repair company to a Fortune 500 buyer, advising the trustee and board, directing diligence, and negotiating the definitive stock purchase agreement. Formed a joint venture for a national construction equipment rental platform and structured a majority investment in a mechanical subcontractor to qualify as an asset sale for tax purposes.