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Bringing a deep knowledge of real estate and the law together in a client's best interest is Bob Bell's strong suit. Highly regarded in both the residential development and commercial real sectors, he has more than 45 years of experience in real estate development, investment, finance, construction, and brokerage, including multifamily, urban infill, mixed-use, hospitality, industrial, retail, office, and residential transactions and projects. Bob also knows the ins and outs of both public and private companies, enabling him to assist clients with all aspects of their real estate operations.
Bob has represented some of the nation's largest and well-respected homebuilders and commercial developers and has successfully negotiated real estate acquisition and disposition contracts, joint ventures, leases, development agreements, construction documentation, and finance arrangements. In addition, he has particular expertise in real estate brokerage-related issues, including licensing and operations.
Bob is a licensed California real estate broker and acted as the outside general counsel for the San Diego Association of Realtors for over 25 years. He is a founding member of the California Association of Realtors' Legal Affairs Committee (now known as the Legal Affairs Forum).
Bob began his legal career in 1976 with San Diego's then largest and oldest law firm, Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps (now Dentons). He served as its Managing Partner from 2004 to 2009. He continued with Luce Forward through a merger with a national firm and then an international firm before electing to move his real estate practice to CGS3.
Notable Deals/Cases
- Represented Navarra Properties in connection with the development of a 6.5-acre site known as Makers Quarter in Downtown San Diego, consisting of a long-term phase-in of 800 apartment units, 800,000 square feet of office, a 150-room hotel, and over 250,000 square feet of retail space. Work on the project included negations with a Developer Partner under a complex ten-year Master Option Agreement, as well as a joint venture with a national apartment developer, the renovation and long-term ground lease of the historic 20,000-square-foot San Diego Coliseum, a long-term ground lease for a mixed-use office project, and the renovation for future sale or leasing of the remaining superblock (planned for 1 million square feet of office, 250 more residential units and 140,000 square feet of retail).
- Represented LNR Property Corporation in the acquisition, development, sale, and leasing of commercial developments throughout California, including the sale and development of the 232-acre Spectrum in San Diego, California. Work on the project included corporate build-to-suits for Northrop Grumman, the San Diego County Water Authority, and Jack in the Box and also direct sales to ResMed, National University, Sharp HealthCare, California Coast Credit Union, Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Frito-Lay and Sunroad Enterprises, and various residential developers allowing for the construction of 2,311 residential housing units.
- Represented the Eastlake Company in the sale and development of the Eastlake Community consisting of 3,200 acres of land in Chula Vista, California. Work on the project included the sale of lots to residential homebuilders and commercial developers and the transfer of the 155-acre Olympic Training Center to the U.S. Olympic Committee.
- Represented the New Children’s Museum in the acquisition and development of a full city block in downtown San Diego and the concurrent sale at the closing of a portion of the block to a residential developer for the construction of the 36-story Pinnacle Marina Tower condominium. The project included shared parking agreements, reciprocal easements, and CC&Rs over the airspace parcels to control future shared costs and operations.
- Represented major homebuilders including Shea Homes, KB Home, Pulte Homes, Lennar Homes, and California Pacific Homes in numerous acquisitions and development transactions throughout California.
Accolades
- Recipient, San Diego Super Lawyers, Real Estate (2007-2024)
- Recipient, “Best Lawyers in America – San Diego, Real Estate Law,” The Best Lawyers in America (2008-2024)
- Recipient, “Best Lawyers in America – San Diego, Construction Law,” The Best Lawyers in America (2008-2024)
- Recipient, “Top 50 Lawyers in America,” America’s Top Lawyers (2024)
- Recipient, “Top Lawyers,” San Diego Magazine (2014-2021)
- Recipient, “Lawyer of the Year – San Diego,” Construction Law, The Best Lawyers in America (2018)
- Recipient, “Best of the Bar”, San Diego Business Journal (2015)
- Recipient, “Lawyer of the Year – San Diego,” Real Estate Law, The Best Lawyers in America (2010)
- Recipient, Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating
Education
- J.D., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, summa cum laude, 1976
- B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz, 1969
Admissions
- California
Involvement
- Lambda Alpha International Honorary Society for the Advancement of Land Economics (LAI)
- Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego, Policy Advisory Board for Commercial Real Estate
- Building Industry Association of San Diego (BIA)
- Urban Land Institute (ULI), San Diego Chapter
- San Diego County Bar Association
- California Association of Realtors, Legal Affairs Forum
- San Diego County Regional Economic Development Corporation, Board of Directors (2004-2011)
- San Diego County Apartment Association, Past President
- San Diego Fair Housing Council, Past President
- San Diego Housing Trust Fund, Past Trustee
