Gary L. Cole AIA, Esq.

Current

Outside General Counsel and Member of the Board of Directors at The Chicago-Midwest Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America
Owner and Attorney/Architect at Gary L. Cole AIA, Esq.

Past

Of-Counsel at Bryant Miller Olive
In-House Counsel at The Sembler Company
Attorney at Seyfarth Shaw

Attorney at Gunster Yoakley
Attorney at Winston & Strawn LLP
Associate Professor of Architecture - Graduate School of Architecture at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Attorney at D'Ancona & Pflaum
Owner/Architect at Cole Architects
Architectural Intern/Licensed Architect at Various Architectural Firms
Historical Architect at Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
Sergeant - Avionics Communications Specialist at United States Air Force

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Education

Loyola University Chicago School of Law
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Chicago

L'Ecole D'Architecture Et D'Urbanisme De Versailles, France

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1 more...

Connections

203 connections

Industry

Law Practice

Websites

My Blog

Gary L. Cole AIA, Esq.’s Summary

Gary L. Cole AIA, Esq. is an Illinois and Florida-licensed attorney and an Illinois-licensed architect with over twenty years experience in real estate development, design and construction. Creatively combining his architect's insight and experience, his attorney's legal expertise and his experience in business, he offers a wide range of legal services including: property acquisition/disposition and leasing; design/construction transactional and litigation matters; public finance, tax-increment financing, tax credit and abatement programs and other development economic incentives; construction and permanent financing; land use matters; legal entity formation and joint venture agreements; state and federal accessibility claims defense; historic preservation tax incentives and regulatory compliance; and, "Green" construction and alternative energy facilities development. Mr. Cole is outside General Counsel and on the Board of Directors of The Chicago-Midwest Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America and writes frequently for his blog "LawArk" at http://www.lawarkbuilding.com/

Gary L. Cole AIA, Esq.’s Specialties:

Real Estate Development: Property acquisition/disposition, leasing, land use/zoning issues; finance and economic incentives.

Design and Construction: Design/engineering and construction contracts, dispute resolution; legal entities.

Accessibility Law: ADA and state accessibility dispute/compliance matters; expert witness.

Historic Preservation: Historic rehabilitation tax incentives, federal/state regulatory compliance, landmark compliance/disputes; expert witness.

Gary L. Cole AIA, Esq.’s Experience

Outside General Counsel and Member of the Board of Directors

The Chicago-Midwest Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America

(Architecture & Planning industry)

April 2009 — Present (8 months)
Owner and Attorney/Architect

Gary L. Cole AIA, Esq.

(Law Practice industry)

2008 — Present (1 year )

Provides a broad range of real estate, financial incentive and design and construction-related legal services for real estate developers. Provides a variety of transactional and general business-related services for architects, engineers, contractors and construction trades. Provides historic preservation tax-incentive and regulatory compliance services, and provides legal services related to Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) disputes. Outside General Counsel for the Chicago chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America. Provides legal services related to sustainable ("Green") development and renewable energy facilities development.
Of-Counsel

Bryant Miller Olive

(Privately Held; Law Practice industry)

2007 — 2008 (1 year )

Represented real estate developer clients in shopping center development matters including leasing, public finance and property owners association governance issues. Prepared American Institute of Architects (AIA) contracts for $50 million roadway improvements. Assisted public utilities with various real estate matters and solar array development.
In-House Counsel

The Sembler Company

(Privately Held; Real Estate industry)

May 2005 — October 2007 (2 years 6 months)

In-House Counsel for shopping center developer active throughout the southeast United States and Puerto Rico. Lead attorney on retail projects up to 1,150,000 square feet in size consisting of national “big box” retailers, in-line retail, restaurants, retail banking and national outparcel users, grocery and drug store chains. Negotiated and prepared leases and disposition and acquisition documents for retail properties valued at more than $600,000,000. Negotiated construction and permanent financing documents for more than $750,000,000 in loans. Developer's counsel for approximately $50,000,000 in special district pubic bonds for infrastructure development. Addressed development matters including approvals, permitting, platting, land use and environmental matters. Prepared and negotiated agreements for construction, construction management and design/engineering services. Addressed corporate formation and governance issues for a real estate development and ownership entities.
Attorney

Seyfarth Shaw

(Partnership; Law Practice industry)

2002 — 2005 (3 years )

Broad experience in real estate transactional matters including the acquisition, disposition, leasing and development of commercial, office, industrial and residential properties including "big box" retail and shopping center developments; negotiated purchase and sale agreements, leases, easement agreements, addressed title and survey matters, prepared closing documents, resolved environmental, zoning and building code matters; negotiated land use issues with local governmental authorities, negotiated development economic incentives including "TIF" grants and local, state and federal tax benefit incentives; represented public sector clients in the acquisition, disposition and leasing of properties; extensive experience negotiating and drafting complex construction and design contracts, construction litigation support; participated in Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) litigation.
Attorney

Gunster Yoakley

(Privately Held; Law Practice industry)

2001 — 2002 (1 year )

Experience in real estate transactional matters including the purchase and sale of commercial, residential, and telecommunications properties, title and survey matters, preparation of closing documents, borrower finance documents, security agreements, retail and office leases, license agreements, development agreements, construction contracts, construction supply agreements, and condominium agreements. Responsible for historic rehabilitation tax-benefit matters, mechanics lien issues, and review of construction drawings and specifications for potential litigation issues.
Attorney

Winston & Strawn LLP

(Partnership; Law Practice industry)

February 2000 — April 2001 (1 year 3 months)

Experience included extensive involvement in national and international construction projects ranging from $1 million to $2.3 billion in project cost including drafting and negotiating construction contracts and service agreements; participated in dispute resolution, bankruptcy, and mechanics liens issues. Assisted in real estate transactional matters, including reviewing and drafting leases, conducting due diligence investigations for lending institutions, and overseeing historic preservation regulatory matters.
Associate Professor of Architecture - Graduate School of Architecture

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

(Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

1993 — 2001 (8 years )

Created and taught graduate architecture courses relating to historic structures investigation and building pathology, construction documents, specifications and hands-on construction skills using traditional construction materials.
Attorney

D'Ancona & Pflaum

(Law Practice industry)

December 1997 — January 2000 (2 years 2 months)

Experience included participation in commercial, construction defects, and mechanics lien litigation and mediation, contract drafting, settlement negotiations, real estate transactional matters, and historic-rehabilitation regulatory issues. Propounded and responded to all forms of written discovery, drafted and argued motions in state court, drafted briefs for state and federal courts, drafted deposition and trial examination outlines, and prepared and conducted fact and expert witness depositions.
Owner/Architect

Cole Architects

(Architecture & Planning industry)

1988 — 1998 (10 years )

Architect. Project architect/consultant for commercial and residential construction projects. Building investigation and documentation of historic residential, commercial, and pre-Civil War structures.
Construction Contractor. Contractor for concrete and masonry construction projects.
Historic Rehabilitation Tax-Benefit Consultant. Coordinated with state and federal administrative agencies in awarding historic rehabilitation income and property tax benefits to owners and developers of landmark properties.
Expert Witness. Landmark property litigation expert witness.
Architectural Intern/Licensed Architect

Various Architectural Firms

(Architecture & Planning industry)

1984 — 1995 (11 years )

Employed by and consulted with architectural firms in a wide range of capacities including building design, construction documents and specifications development; building forensic investigation. Project types included commercial, industrial, single and multi-family residential and historic rehabilitation.
Historical Architect

Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

(Government Administration industry)

1992 — 1994 (2 years )

Provided extensive architectural field review and technical assistance to developers, building owners, architects, engineers, municipalities, and federal agencies for historic projects seeking state and federal tax benefits and compliance with state and federal historic rehabilitation guidelines. 1993 National Trust Mississippi Flood Assessment Team member.
Sergeant - Avionics Communications Specialist

United States Air Force

(Government Agency; Military industry)

October 1977 — January 1982 (4 years 4 months)

Sergeant. Tactical aircraft and helicopter avionics communication specialist, 4507 CAMS, Shaw AFB, South Carolina. Honorable Discharge.

Gary L. Cole AIA, Esq.’s Education

Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Juris Doctor (1998) , Law , 1994 — 1998

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judges - Senior Articles Editor, Spring/Fall 1997
American Jurisprudence Award for Highest Grade - Comparative International Law
Dean's List
Loyola Rome Center for International Studies, 1997
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Master of Architecture , Architecture/Historic Preservation , 1991 — 1992

First Place Charles E. Peterson Prize
First Place Edward C. Earl Prize in Architecture
Dean's List
Graduate Teaching Assistant
University of Illinois at Chicago

Bachelor of Architecture , Architecture/Design , 1983 — 1988

Graduated with "Distinction in Design"
Dean's List
Talent Tuition Scholarship
Pillsbury Traveling Scholarship
Golden Key National Honor Society
Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society
L'Ecole D'Architecture Et D'Urbanisme De Versailles, France

Architecture 1985 — 1986

Undergraduate architecture study and travel in France, England, Scotland, Spain, Greece, and Morocco

Additional Information

Gary L. Cole AIA, Esq.’s Websites:

My Blog

Gary L. Cole AIA, Esq.’s Groups:

Licensed Attorney. Admitted to Illinois Bar (1998), admitted to Florida Bar (2001)
United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois (1998)

Licensed Architect. Registered in Illinois (1993)
Member American Institute of Architects
General Counsel and Board Member of The Chicago-Midwest Chapter of Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America
Member Urban Land Institute
Member U.S. Building Green Council (Chicago Chapter)
Member National Trust for Historic Preservation

Linked n Chicago
Renewable Energy Business Network
Corporate Real Estate
Chicago REVerb
The-Green-Group.com
Opportunity Green
Construct IN
Sustainability Working Group
Solar Power Society
Linked:Energy (Energy industry expertise)
Architecture and Interiors
Green
International Council of Shopping Centers
Wind Energy Professionals
Construction Claims Network
Green Jobs & Career Network
Homebuilding Professionals
3D Visualisation and Graphics Programming
Green Building
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Chicago Architects/Developers/Designers/Vendors/Brokers, etc
Historic Preservation Group
Construction & Building Materials- Professionals Group
Heritage Conservation/Historic Preservation of the Built Environment Network
ULI-the Urban Land Institute
The American Institute of Architects
Building Green, a Sustainability Group
Real Estate Finance & Investment Society
Architecture
Construction Professionals Forum
The Real Estate Developers Group
Sustainable construction and planning
Green Building Connect
Green Design
Bright Green Talent
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
Expert Witness Network
Chicago Web 2.0 and Social Media Marketing
GreenBiz.com -- Green Business Professionals
Design-Build Institute of America
Chicago Architecture Foundation Enthusiasts
Global Renewable Energy Network (GReEN)
Renewables Job Market
ARCHITECT
The Green Exchange
Historic Tax Credit Network
Legal Innovation
Green Real Estate: Building, Design, Planning, Products, Investment
The Chicago-Midwest Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America
Florida CRE
Distressed Real Estate Investment
Green Real Estate
Sustainability in Architecture and Design
Retail Real Estate Legal Forum
Sustainable Land Development
Building Science and Performance
Forensics and Diagnostics