Real Estate Law
Christopher H. "Chris" Milton
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2010 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Christopher H. Milton has a wide variety of experience in numerous areas of real estate development, financing, entitlements and operations.
Chris represents regional, national and foreign owners, developers and investors in connection with all aspects of real estate development from acquisition through zoning relief, subdivision, permitting, environmental remediation and construction.
Chris represents lenders and investors in multi-party real estate based financial transactions and related loan workouts, restructurings and foreclosures. More specifically, Chris represents owners of real estate on mortgage loans of up to $200 million, various banks in construction loans ranging up to $100 million, large insurance companies on more than 50 permanent mortgage loans involving principal amounts from $15 million to $310 million, and has been involved in private equity transactions, and in the formation of various joint ventures and sale and leaseback transactions. He has also represented many of these lenders and investors in workouts, restructurings and foreclosures.
Chris is involved in acquisitions, dispositions, leasing and various other operational matters relating to real estate. He is involved with real estate owners and operators in the valuation of real estate in gaming, eminent domain, agricultural preservation easement, conservation easement and tax abatement contexts.
Overview
- Princeton University, AB, graduated 1969
- New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Massachusetts, Massachusetts Bar Association
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program - Mentor
- Home for Little Wanderers - Board of Ambassadors
- The Wellesley Club - President
- United Way - R.E. & Building Industry Breakfast Committee
- Wellesley Country Club - Long Range Planning Committee
- New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Massachusetts, Massachusetts Bar Association
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program - Mentor
- Home for Little Wanderers - Board of Ambassadors
- The Wellesley Club - President
- United Way - R.E. & Building Industry Breakfast Committee
- Wellesley Country Club - Long Range Planning Committee
- Princeton University, AB, graduated 1969
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Real Estate Law
Awards:
- AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5
- Chambers USA Guide, 2009-2013
- Law360 "Real Estate Practice Group of the Year," 2011-2012
- Super Lawyers magazine, Massachusetts Super Lawyers, 2011-2013
- Winning Team, Chambers USA Award for Excellence, Real Estate, 2010 and 2013
- The Legal 500 United States, "Top Tier" Firm in Real Estate, 2013
News & Media
Case History
Cases
- Areas of Concentration
- Development and construction
- Land use, zoning and subdivision
- Environmental compliance and permitting
- Financings, workouts, restructurings and foreclosures
- Private placements, sale and leaseback transactions
- Acquisitions and dispositions
- Leasing and operational matters
- Tax abatements, eminent domain
- Development, Land Use, Environmental and Construction Matters
- Represented HR Massachusetts, LLC, a potential $800 million casino developer in Western Massachusetts, in regard to real estate and entitlement matters.
- Represented the First Church of Christ, Scientist in respect to Boston Landmarks Commission designation of Christian Science Plaza as a landmark.
- Represented a potential casino operator in efforts to monitor possible advent of gaming in Massachusetts.
- Represented The Gillette Company, in the master planning of and securing entitlements related to the 44-acre complex in South Boston owned by The Gillette Company, including preparations for expansion of the South Boston Manufacturing Center and for cogeneration facility upgrade.
- Secured entitlements for Exchange Place, a 1.1 million square foot office building in the Downtown Financial District in Boston.
- Secured entitlements for the 300-room/100-unit Four Seasons Hotel and Condominiums in the Back Bay neighborhood.
- Secured entitlements for Cassin/Winn Associates and Related Companies, LP for the second phase of the proposed 177-unit Baker Square condominium complex in the Lower Mills neighborhood of Boston.
- Secured entitlements for and disposition of a 32-unit luxury residential development of regional impact in Edgartown, Massachusetts.
- Part 2
- Implemented zoning allowing for the development of the 270,000 square foot Harvard Community Health Care Headquarters in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
- Represented the Bermuda Land Development Company in its efforts to dispose of the former U.S. Naval Annex at Morgan's Point, including significant development and environmental contamination issues.
- Secured entitlements for the first phase of the Baker Square condominium complex, including addressing significant environmental issues.
- Master planned and secured entitlements for a 70-acre, low density residential community in Dedham, Massachusetts.
- Secured entitlements for a 31-home luxury residential project in Needham, Massachusetts.
- Performed all legal work associated with construction of a headquarters building and "clean rooms" for Kopin, Inc. in Taunton, Massachusetts.
- Secured certain entitlements for a 240-megawatt non-utility electrical generation facility for Dominion Energy.
- Secured entitlements for development of Herring Creek Farm, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
- Secured entitlements for construction of a new school for Nativity Prep.
- Secured entitlements for a 120-unit affordable housing project in Melrose, Massachusetts.
- Financing, Private Placement, and Sale and Leaseback Matters
- Represented Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in all aspects of a $310 million mortgage loan financing of One Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Represented Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in all aspects of a $180 million mortgage loan financing of 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Represented Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in all aspects of a $87.5 million mortgage loan financing of 40 Sylvan Road, Reservoir Woods, Waltham, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Represented Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in all aspects of a $80 million mortgage financing of Reservoir Woods, Waltham, Massachusetts.
- Represented lender in foreclosure of $51 million loan on Westgate Mall in Brockton, Massachusetts.
- Represented lender in foreclosure of $23.5 million loan in Westwood, Massachusetts.
- Represented two major pension funds as local counsel in connection with their financing of and investment in Trilogy, a 572-unit apartment complex in the Fenway neighborhood.
- Represented Gulf Oil in real estate aspects of new $600 million credit facility involving 13 distribution facilities in five states.
- Represented Cumberland Farms in real estate aspects of new $350 million credit facility involving in excess of 1,000 service stations in seven states.
- Part 2
- Represented two major pension funds as local counsel in connection with their financing of and investment in 1330 Boylston Street, a 150-unit apartment and condominium complex in the Fenway neighborhood.
- Represented General Growth Properties in refinancing of Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Represented Century Bank, Bank of Boston, Shawmut Bank and other lenders in approximately 30 construction financings and related workouts, restructurings and foreclosures.
- Represented Travelers Insurance Company on approximately 50 permanent mortgage loans in New England, and related workouts, restructurings and foreclosures.
- Represented NYSE-listed REIT in sale/leaseback of hotel resort complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
- Privately placed securities for entity acquiring real estate in Chatham, Massachusetts.
- Privately placed securities for entity developing 30-unit subsidized housing project in Rockport, Massachusetts.
- Privately placed securities for entities developing several office buildings in Phoenix, Arizona.
- Acquisition and Sales Matters
- Represented Dividend Capital in acquisition of office building at Crown Colony in Quincy, Massachusetts.
- Represented Utilities and Industries Management Corporation in acquisition of Sam’s Club in Natick, Massachusetts.
- Obtained due diligence for Ordinary Share Issuances under AIM Rules of London Stock Exchange for Dawnay Day entities investing in retail, office, warehouse and residential assets in Germany and Ukraine.
- Handled disposition of 214-acre Herring Creek Farm, Edgartown, Massachusetts to two non-profit entities and various private owners.
- Represented Reservoir Place Associates Limited Partnership in the disposition of a 500,000 square foot building in Waltham, Massachusetts to Boston Properties Limited Partnership.
- Represented Americana Hotels and Realty Corporation in dispositions of hotels in Lake Buena Vista, Florida; Springfield, Illinois; Newark, New Jersey; New York, New York and Jackson, Wyoming and associated workouts, restructurings and foreclosures.
- Performed all legal work associated with the redevelopment of the 500,000 square foot former Armstrong World Industries facility in Braintree, Massachusetts.
- Represented the Kendall Company in the disposition of its former manufacturing complex in Walpole, Massachusetts.
- Leasing, Tax Abatement, Eminent Domain and Operational Matters
- Represented Nuvera Fuel Cells in leasing of 120,000 sq.ft. research and development facility in Billerica, Massachusetts.
- Represented United Communications Group in 40,000 sq.ft. lease of office space in Dedham, Massachusetts.
- Represented private family company in leasing of space at John Hancock Building, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Negotiated private-public partnerships with the Boston Redevelopment Authority, Massachusetts Highway Department and various other state and local agencies under which a new street layout will be implemented and a 2,200-foot section of the Harborwalk will be constructed.
- Represented The Gillette Company in securing significant, multi-year tax abatements for its South Boston Manufacturing Center.
- Represented Brookfield Properties Corporation in securing significant, multi-year tax abatements for Exchange Place.
- Represented the owners of the Greenhouse, a 322-unit luxury in apartment complex the Back Bay neighborhood, in securing multi-year tax abatements.
- Represented the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority in eminent domain proceedings related to acquisition of land adjacent to Boston Convention and Exhibition Center for limited service hotels.
- Represented New England Seafood Center owners in eminent domain proceedings involving the MBTA Silver Line.
- Represented The Gillette Company in eminent domain proceedings involving the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel Project.
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