Lea Ann Fowler | Denver | Hogan Lovells

Lea Ann Fowler
Fowler Lea Ann
  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights and events

Lea Ann Fowler operates at the intersection of commercial real estate and finance, helping her clients effectively navigate and redefine today's complex real estate market.

Clients turn to Lea Ann for practical, responsive, and strategic advice related to single and multi-tiered debt and equity financing structures, workouts and restructures of distressed assets, as well as the acquisition, construction, leasing, and sale of a wide range of real estate property types, including office, retail, industrial, mixed use condominium, multifamily, and hospitality.

Combining her industry knowledge with a passion for complex commercial real estate finance transactions, Lea Ann proactively works with financial institutions, institutional investors, and borrowers on the full scope of their real estate issues. From prominent commercial lending institutions to real estate developers and private equity firms, Lea Ann's dexterity and hands-on approach benefit clients in the structuring and negotiation of a broad spectrum of mortgage loan and asset based transactions, involving senior, construction, permanent, and interim loans, multi-property financings, mezzanine financings, and preferred equity investments. With particular experience serving clients with hotel and resort, retail centers, medical offices, and mixed-use real estate assets, Lea Ann has the balanced local and global perspective to help you across the entire property lifecycle.

Representative experience

Advising on the disposition of Western Convenience Stores Inc.'s retail outlet portfolio of 42 C-stores located throughout Colorado and Nebraska.

Represented borrower in a construction loan to finance the development of a 600-room Great Wolf Lodge resort hotel and indoor water park in Southern California.

Represented CoBank, FCB, as tenant, under a build-to-suit lease in connection with the leasing of a 270,000 square foot office building for CoBank's headquarters.*

Represented CoBank in connection with the financing and shared appreciation structure utilized in the development of its headquarter building in the Denver Tech Center.

Represented Focus Corporation in a complex financing structure, including senior, mezzanine, and preferred equity, for the development of a Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Denver.

Represented Greystone EB-5 Holdings Corp. in its EB-5 platform of loans to various developers of multi-family and office projects across the country.

Represented McWHINNEY Real Estate Services, Inc. in financing the Dairy Block development in Denver, including 200,000 square feet of office space.

Represented Starwood Capital in its acquisition of a US$5.3bn multi-family portfolio from Equity Residential, comprised of 73 properties located throughout the United States.

Represented Western Convenience Stores, Inc. in connection with its exit financing from Chapter 11, secured by a portfolio of gas/convenience stores in Colorado and Nebraska.

Served as counsel to Guggenheim Investment Management, LLC as a second lien lender in connection with construction financing for a Wyndham Hotel project in Avon, Colorado.*

Represented DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners in the sale of the Renaissance Charleston Hotel to Diamond Rock Hospitality Co.*

Represented DLJ Capital Partners in connection with its US$120m financing of a 565 key multi-state hotel portfolio.*

Represented a resort developer in a US$140m senior loan and US$75m mezzanine loan to finance the development of a luxury condominium project in Vail, Colorado.*

Restructuring multi-tiered financing structures secured by major real estate developments involving large institutional senior and mezzanine lenders and equity investors.*

Advised Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. on its US$32m loan to refinance existing indebtedness and provide long-term financing to borrower.

Advised Prologis on its US$1.1bn sale of a large European and U.S. industrial real estate portfolio to an Asian-based investor.

Advised Mapletree Investments and its affiliate, Mapletree Industrial Trust, on its US$1.4bn acquisition of interests in 13 data centers from Digital Realty Trust.

Civitas Capital in the closing of a US$150m construction loan to Silverwest Hotels and a US$70m repo loan for the development of a new Hilton Curio Collection hotel in Lihue, Hawaii.

Partners Group in the acquisitions and their financings of industrial assets in connection with joint venture investments with Equus Capital Partners.

Bow River Capital in the formation of an investment fund targeting real estate development projects in the western U.S.

*Matter handled prior to joining Hogan Lovells.

Credentials

Education
  • J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 1991
  • B.B.A., Southern Methodist University, 1988
Bar admissions and qualifications
  • Colorado
Memberships
  • Colorado Women's Bar Association
  • Past Board of Directors; Past President, NAIOP Colorado
  • Board of Directors, Parkinson Association of the Rockies
  • Development Committee, The Women's Foundation of Colorado

Recognition

Real Estate Law

Best Lawyers in America

2014-2016, 2018, 2021
Denver Power Women

Bisnow

2019
Real Estate (Colorado)

Chambers USA

2019-2021
Real Estate, Recommended

Legal 500 US

2019-2020
Real Estate (Colorado), Recognized Practitioner

Chambers USA

2018
Award of Excellence

NAIOP Colorado

2014-2015
Denver's Top Business Newsmakers, Power Book

Denver Business Journal

2012