Two Law Firms Ink Downtown Deals

Greenspoon Marder has leased four floors at 200 East Broward Blvd., one of downtown Fort Lauderdale’s tallest office buildings. The firm will move all attorneys downtown, keeping portions of its Cypress Creek area office for support staff.
The new 64,964-square-foot lease expands what was formerly Ruden McClosky’s space in the tower. Greenspoon acquired Ruden’s book of business and many attorneys out of bankruptcy in November 2011.
Greenspoon has more than 160 attorneys in 10 Florida offices.
“We wanted to align our space needs with our business goals by bringing our lawyers closer to many of our corporate and banking business clients in downtown Fort Lauderdale,” co-founding partner Gerry Greenspoon said in a news release.
Sandra Andersen, senior VP for Jones Lang LaSalle, completed the lease on behalf of the building’s ownership, VV USA City, LP., an entity represented by Invesco Real Estate.
Greenspoon Marder was represented by Studley corporate managing director Thomas Capocefalo  and executive VP Gregory Katz.
According to Jones Lang LaSalle, the occupancy rate at the 21-story class A office building rises to 87 percent, with other tenants including PNC Bank and law firms Shutts & Bowen and Weiss Serota Helfman Pastoriza Cole & Boniske.
“This transaction is a testament to the strengthening of the office market in the CBD, particularly along Broward Boulevard, as law firms like Greenspoon Marder look to solidify their presence in the Central Business District,” Andersen said in the news release.
Financial terms were not disclosed. [Source: SFBJ]
In a separate deal, law firm of Beighley, Myrick & Udell will relocate within Miami’s legal district, selecting the premier Museum Tower as its new address for the long term.
The 15-year-old firm has leased 4,830 sf on the 20^thfloor of the 29-story, class A office tower at 150 W. Flagler St., owned by Dallas-based Gaedeke Group LLC. The law firm will occupy the new office in late winter, relocating in tandem with its lease expiration at 66 W. Flagler St.
“This decision was based on the quality of the building, the efficiency of the space and the availability of parking,” says Adam Beighley, one of the partners and founders of the firm, which also has offices in Boca Raton and Pompano Beach.
The 234,104-sf Museum Place has a four-level parking garage, with valet service, for tenants and visitors. It’s also just steps from a Metrorail station and directly across the street from the Miami-Dade County Courthouse.
The law firm’s search began six months ago. “We had two geographical choices. We decided we wanted to stay downtown and near the courthouse,” Beighley says. “Because there are so few class A buildings in the district, it ultimately got to the point of which office did we want in Museum Tower.” The winning space was a 20^thfloor suite, with views of the water from one side and the Miami Marlins’ baseball stadium on the other.
“Museum Tower is a great building in terms of quality, location and image,” Beighley says, “and it can handle our future growth.”
Representing Gaedeke was its vice president of leasing, Kirk Fetter. Russell Bornstein of CBRE negotiated on behalf of the law firm.
Beighley, Myrick & Udell has nearly 20 attorneys in its three offices. Its specialty practice areas are general litigation, insurance, commercial real estate and transactions, construction and corporate law.