Sarah Lewis Belcher

My practice focuses on the areas of commercial real estate, commercial lending and municipal finance. I have experience representing commercial buyers and sellers in all phases of real property transactions, including negotiating contracts, coordinating financing and examining title. I also represent commercial lenders on construction and commercial loans. I have worked on a variety of public finance transactions, including financings for universities, not-for-profit human service organizations, housing authorities, and schools.

I have developed expertise in the sale of conservation easements for the preservation of agricultural property and protection of watersheds, together with the grant programs often utilized for these sales. I have counseled clients in tax-deferred 1031 exchanges of real property, including in connection with the sale of conservation easements. Additionally, I have worked with clients in the purchase of Brownfield sites and have also represented developers in obtaining planning board and zoning board of appeals approvals.

Some representative matters on which I have worked are:

• Bank’s counsel on loans secured by facilities in multiple locations in one state and cross-collateralized by facilities in multiple locations in another state.
• Lender’s attorney on loans for student housing projects in three states, each of which also secured the other two loans.
• Non-profit’s counsel on acquisition of real estate, construction of new headquarters and bond financing related thereto.
• Bank’s attorney on acquisition, construction and bridge loans for multi-family housing projects, including luxury apartments and projects subject to low income housing restrictions.

I have received the following awards and honors:

Justinian Honorary Law Society
Order of the Coif
Associate Editor, Syracuse Law Review (1988-1989)
Phi Beta Kappa
AV Preeminent Rated in Martindale-Hubbell®