Allens

Nicholas Cowie

Nicholas specialises in structured direct and indirect real estate, business asset and property trust acquisitions, financing and disposals; tenders, property development, due diligence; commercial, retail and industrial leasing (both landlord and tenant); property and development management, co-ownership and other commercial agreements.

He has acted for the Singapore Government's GIC Real Estate on:

• the property aspects and property and development management arrangements for the takeover of the Charter Hall Office Trust (with PSP);
• an industrial joint venture with Australand and the acquisition of trusts owning seven industrial properties as well as a number of subsequent add-on developments;
• acquisition of a portfolio of eight industrial properties around the country from the Salta Property Group and subsequent additions to that portfolio;
• purchase of a half interest in Westfield Whitford City shopping centre in WA from Dexus;
• staged acquisition of interests in trusts and subtrusts owning 50 per cent of Westfield Parramatta, including all joint venture and operational agreements and a myriad of agreements with third party landholders and tenants;
• consortium arrangements for the acquisition and development of Myer's iconic new Melbourne department store; and
• acquisition of Chifley Tower and Chifley Plaza in Sydney.

Nicholas acted for GPT on:

• sale of the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Sydney and Floreat Shopping Centre in Perth (one of the largest retail transactions for 2009);
• acquisition of a half interest (and subsequent interests) and management rights in Highpoint Shopping Centre and Maribyrnong Homemaker Centre, including co-ownership arrangements;
• on the proposed structured disposal of a major Victorian shopping centre to an offshore fund, in each case including joint venture documentation and management rights;
• acquisition of Norton Plaza in Sydney's Leichhardt; and
• the GPT Wholesale Office Fund's acquisition mid-development of 6 green star Workplace 6, the first office building to achieve that rating.

He acted for:

• a Plenary Group consortium on the hotel and southern precinct mixed use development documentation in its bid for SICEEP;
• a Charter Hall and PSP capital partnership on the acquisition of Bay Village Shopping Centre at Bateau Bay, together with development and property management arrangements;
• for AMP Capital Investors on the acquisition of a Perth office tower;
• Coles on acquisition of shopping centres at Bowral, West Gosford and Crows Nest, its NSW head office leasing arrangements and on a joint venture for a mixed use development at Westmead;
• for Aristocrat in the development and leasing of its new head office at North Ryde;
• for Italian listed eyewear group Safilo SpA on the acquisition of the assets of the 'Just Spectacles' retail chain group of companies; and
• for ALE Property Group on the acquisition and disposal of around 20 hotels around the country and on its competitive bid for 11 Woolworths' distribution centres, including transaction structuring and project management of capital raising, tax, stamp duty, GST and senior debt aspects.

In past years, he acted for Wilson Parking on its staged leasing arrangements for the Sydney Opera House Car Park and many other matters. He also acted for ING Office Fund on the acquisition of a commercial office tower in North Sydney and for James Hardie Australia in the sale to Multiplex Funds Management and leaseback of a portfolio of seven properties in NSW, QLD, WA and New Zealand.

He acted for BBC Hardware Limited on the development and leasing of over 60 BBC Hardwarehouse mega stores around the country.

Nicholas is listed as leader in real estate on Chambers Global 2006-2013.

He was also voted one of the 'Best Lawyers' in real estate in Australia in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.