John P. Sidd is a partner in the Firm’s Corporate and Real Estate Practices. Mr. Sidd concentrates his practice on business law, commercial real estate and economic development matters. He represents clients in all aspects of their businesses, ranging from daily operations that include contract preparation and negotiations to succession planning and mergers and acquisitions.
He counsels buyers, sellers, real estate developers, landlords and tenants in commercial leasing matters and provides legal counsel and strategic guidance to lenders and borrowers in mortgage financings. Additionally, he advises and represents New York State economic development entities that include industrial development agencies and land banks.
Mr. Sidd serves as general counsel to the New York Land Bank Association and the Greater Syracuse Land Bank and also serves as examining counsel for Stewart Title Insurance Corporation, Old Republic Title Insurance Company and Chicago Title Insurance Company.
Representative Matters
- Represented an IDA in a straight-lease transaction for financial assistance related to the construction of a $30 million yogurt-manufacturing facility.
- Represented an IDA in a straight-lease transaction for financial assistance related to the construction of a $9 million medical equipment manufacturing facility.
- Represented an agricultural lender in a $5 million construction loan transaction secured by over 1,500 acres of property.
- Represented an agricultural lender in a $4.5 million construction loan transaction secured by over 2,500 acres of property.
- Represented an IDA in a straight-lease transaction for financial assistance related to a $16 million renovation of a historic building for residential and commercial use.
- Represented a solar developer on numerous community solar projects including compliance with Real Property Tax Law Exemptions pursuant to Section 487 of the Real Property Tax Law and corresponding PILOT Agreements.
- Represented an Industrial Development Agency on numerous solar facility projects including approval and implementation of financial assistance in support of the project with sales and mortgage recording tax exemptions and real property tax exemptions with long term PILOT Agreements.
- Represented the Greater Syracuse Land Bank in the acquisition of over 2,000 parcels of real property and the sale of over 1,200 since 2013.
- Authored numerous amendments to Article 16 of the New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law (The Land Bank Act) on behalf of the New York Land Bank Association that were signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The amendments save land banks across New York State hundreds of thousands of dollars in recording fees, property disposition expenses, real property taxes, special assessments, special ad valorem levies and user fees.
