DavidSmith

Partner

London + 44.20.7039.5285

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David Smith has advised clients for more than 25 years on complex real estate developments and investments. David heads the direct real estate team in London, and over the last decade he has advised on close to £15 billion of transactions in the student accommodation and build-to-rent sectors. David also has broad experience in most sectors, including office, retail, industrial, leisure, hospitality, and health care. He acts for a range of clients, including real estate companies, real estate funds, and high net worth investors, many based overseas.

David has advised numerous major developers, including Greystar and Henderson Park on the development of two of the world's tallest modular residential towers in Croydon and Get Living plc in relation to their redevelopment of Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre to create 1,000 apartments, a new London Underground Station, and new university campus.

Experience

  • Greystar acquires £291 million portfolio of UK student accommodations from Nido portfolioJones Day represented Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC in the £291 million acquisition of five purpose-built student accommodation ("PBSA") assets from the Nido portfolio.
  • Goldman sold iQ Student Accommodation dorms to Blackstone for £4.66 billionOn May 15, 2020, Jones Day clients Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division and the Wellcome Trust completed the sale of iQ Student Accommodation to Blackstone for £4.66 billion (US$5.73 billion), representing the largest ever private real estate transaction in the UK.
  • CBRE Global Investors, on behalf of international separate account client, acquires Premier Place, Devonshire Square, LondonJones Day advised CBRE Global Investors, on behalf of an international separate account client, in the acquisition of Premier Place, Devonshire Square, London.
  • Delancey and APG Joint Venture acquires Earls Court for £425 millionJones Day represented Earls Court Investment Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of a joint venture between a fund advised by Delancey and APG on behalf of its pension fund clients, in connection with its £425 million acquisition of EC Group Holdings Limited from a subsidiary of Capital & Counties Properties Plc.
  • Cortland Partners acquires LIV GroupJones Day provided specialist advice to Cortland Partners LLC in relation to its acquisition of the LIV Group, a build-to-rent firm based in Leeds, UK.
  • Greystar and Henderson Park obtain £385 million facility from Cain International for acquisition and development of residential project located in LondonJones Day represented Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC and Henderson Park in connection with a £385 million facility from Cain International to support the acquisition and development of an 894-home build-to-rent (BTR) residential project located in Nine Elms, London.
  • Chapter acquires Central London Student AccommodationJones Day advised Chapter in its acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Reining Limited and Paul Street (General Partner) Limited and the resulting interest in a Central London student accommodation property known as Paul Street East at 18-20 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4JH.
  • Greystar sells Building 3 Oldfield Lane North, Greenford, London to Telford Homes for £28.4 million ($36.4 million)Jones Day advised Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC in its £28.4 million ($36.4 million) sale of Building 3 Oldfield Lane North, Greenford, London to Telford Homes Plc.
  • Greystar recapitalizes Chapter student accommodation portfolio in Central LondonJones Day advised Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC in a recapitalization of its and PSP’s Chapter portfolio of student accommodation properties, one of the largest in Central London, by consolidating the portfolio under a new joint venture in which Allianz acquired an interest.
  • DV4 and Oxford Properties form DOORJones Day advised DV4 Ltd (“DV4”), which is advised by Delancey Real Estate Asset Management Ltd, on the sale of DV4's interests in Get Living, the UK’s leading privately backed residential company, to Delancey Oxford Residential (“DOOR”) a new co-investment platform with initial capital commitments of £600 million; the establishment of DOOR, which includes the joint venture between DV4 and Oxford Properties; and on real estate matters related to the London scheme, Elephant Central in Elephant and Castle which is part of the Get Living portfolio.
  • South Bank Tower sells remaining 38 luxury apartmentsJones Day advised South Bank Tower Limited in connection with the sale of the remaining 38 luxury apartments in South Bank Tower, the residential landmark on the South Bank, Central London.
  • iQ Student Accommodation acquires Pure Student Living from L1 TreasuryJones Day acted for iQ Student Accommodation in relation to its acquisition of the UK focused Pure Student Living student housing property portfolio and business from LetterOne Treasury.
  • Greystar refinances acquisition of portfolio of residential properties in LondonJones Day represented Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC in connection with a term loan facility provided by National Bank of Kuwait (International) Plc used to refinance the acquisition of a portfolio of residential properties in London.
  • Greystar acquires student accommodation portfolio in SpainJones Day advised Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC in its joint venture with AXA Investment Managers - Real Assets, acting on behalf of its clients, and CBRE Global Investment Partners (CBRE GIP), also acting on behalf of its clients, in its acquisition of a portfolio of 37 student residences in Spain (33 operating and 4 under development) owned by Grupo RESA (Spain's market leader in student accommodation), from Azora, Arta Capital, Banca March, and Mutua Madrileña.
  • Cortland Partners forms JV to develop build-to-rent properties in UKJones Day advised Cortland Partners LLC in its formation of a joint venture with Orion Land & Leisure Limited, Colony Northstar, Inc, and Asia Capital Real Estate focusing on the development and letting of build-to-rent properties and the acquisition of land for such development, primarily located in Greater London and other selected markets in the United Kingdom.
  • Greystar acquires site to develop 200+ bed student housing property in Islington, London by way of joint ventureJones Day advised Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC on the acquisition and development of a 200+ bed student housing property in Islington together with the formation of a joint venture by way of a Jersey unit trust to carry out such development.
  • Henderson Park Real Estate Fund I acquires London and Birmingham Hilton Metropole hotelsJones Day represented Henderson Park Real Estate Fund I in connection with its acquisition of the London and Birmingham Hilton Metropole hotels.
  • Greystar obtains financing for development of purpose built student accommodation in LondonJones Day advised Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC in connection with a development and investment term loan facility in respect of purpose built student accommodation in London.
  • Greystar agrees to acquire plots from Royal Mail at Nine Elms in Battersea (London) for £101 millionJones Day advised Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC regarding the acquisition of plots from Royal Mail at Nine Elms in Battersea (London) for £101 million.
  • Greystar forms joint venture to acquire and develop student housing property in LondonJones Day advised Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC in its formation of a UK joint venture for the purposes of acquiring and developing a student housing property in Savoy Circus, London and advised the joint venture in relation to the purchase and development thereof.
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