Military Bases and Communities
Military base communities and the private sector need to turn to experienced and knowledgeable advisors and attorneys to guide them in addressing redevelopment and expansion issues. The McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP Military Bases and Communities team provides professional assistance to communities and the private sector both in connection with bases that are undergoing Base Realignment and Closure and those that are expanding their infrastructure.
We combine our transactional, environmental, government contracts, and governmental affairs experience on an array of military installation projects across the United States. We provide services to the private sector addressing the real estate assets and human capital represented by these installations, including real estate developers, government contractors, environmental engineers and financial institutions.
Our experienced team provides strategic counsel in:
- Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)
- Non-BRAC Base Brownfield Redevelopment
- Enhanced Use Leasing
- Military Family Housing
- Base Utilities
- Real Estate Redevelopment
- Federal Government Affairs
- State and Local Government Affairs
Representative Engagements
Enhanced-Use Leasing (EUL)
We have been engaged as counsel on numerous EUL projects that involve private development of public property with shared revenue structure that stimulates the job market and fosters local community partnerships.
- Represented underwriters in EUL transactions with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs in five different facilities around the United States. We assisted with the construction of office buildings, parking decks and power generation and co-generation facilities on various VA campuses.
- Represented the largest nursing home company in the United States in the first EUL project the VA entered into with a for-profit company. The transaction required us to address numerous fundamental issues regarding the structure of the lease, the nature of the VA’s EUL authority and the relationship between the public and private sectors from an economic, provision of services and physical structure perspective. We were involved in all aspects of the transaction including the financing, operations, contract negotiations and tax issues.
- Helped structure the lease of a privately-owned biorepository at Fort Detrick, Maryland. The facility supports activities of the National Cancer Institute through its Federally Funded Research and Development Contractor (“FFRDC”) at Fort Detrick.
Military Family Housing
MLA represents a leading developer of private leased housing on United States military installations. To date, we have helped our client with the acquisition, development, management and construction of military family housing and unaccompanied personnel housing at 44 Army, Navy and Air Force installations spread over 20 states and the District of Columbia. These transactions involved, collectively, creation of unique joint ventures with the United States Army, Navy or Air Force, and negotiation of 50-year ground leases from the United States; construction, design/build, architectural and engineering agreements; more than $3 billion of financing in the form of taxable, rated revenue bonds and construction loans; and agreements with local and state authorities regarding various municipal issues. In connection with these projects, we also secured real property exemptions and PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreements from numerous local and state authorities.
Utility Leasing
Water - Represent the private sector utilities provider and closed on the Fort Bliss water and wastewater P3 project, a 50-year deal valued at approximately $450 million.