Benjamin Hittman

Ben Hittman is a partner in the Real Estate Industry group. Ben represents real estate investment funds, REITs, institutional investors, developers and other owners and operators of real estate in complex transactions involving commercial, industrial, office, hospitality and multifamily assets, including acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, development agreements, and financings.

Ben is also a member of Goodwin’s PropTech Initiative, which is focused on supporting the intersection of Real Estate and Technology through thoughtful collaboration across the two practice areas. As a key contributor to the group and Steering Committee, Ben participates in key industry events and stays up to date on relevant market trends impacting the PropTech sector to effectively support clients involved in this space. Ben is also highly involved in Goodwin’s Data Center working group, which was formed to identify and respond to client needs in this rapidly growing asset class.

Ben’s experience includes the representation of various types of real estate owners, investors and developers in transactions that span a range of asset classes. Highlights of his recent work include:

• Representation of international real estate investor in the formation of strategic platform joint venture to acquire, recapitalize and develop up to $2 billion in luxury hospitality and mixed-use projects across North America
• Representation of a private real estate investor in its $580 million acquisition and financing of a long-term ground lease in New York City
• Representation of Kennedy Wilson in platform joint venture with a global institutional investor to acquire and manage core-plus multifamily communities across the Western US, seeded with a $800 million portfolio and targeting an additional $700 million in acquisition opportunities
• Representation of Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. in entry into binding agreement with the Oakland Athletics and Bally’s Corporation for the development of new Major League Baseball stadium and luxury hotel and casino at the site of the Tropicana Las Vegas
• Representation of Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. in the acquisition of three casinos from The Cordish Companies for aggregate consideration of $1.81 billion, comprised of a mix of qualified debt assumption, cash, and newly issued operating partnership units
• Representation of Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. in entry into Master Development Agreement with Penn Entertainment for the funding of $575 million in development costs for relocation and expansions of four casino and hotel resorts
• Representation of Affinius Capital in joint venture to acquire and develop 69-acre mixed-use project in Cary, North Carolina, together with $200 million construction loan and entry into Development Agreement with the Town of Cary 
• Representation of Affinius Capital in multiple acquisitions and joint ventures to acquire and develop life science assets in South San Francisco
• Representation of Affinius Capital in ground lease with Howard University and joint venture with Lowe to develop mixed use property near university campus
• Representation of a real estate developer and its joint venture partner in the $365 million acquisition and financing of an office property located in downtown Boston
• Representation of a nationally recognized real estate operator in the formation of a platform joint venture with a university endowment for the acquisition and renovation of multifamily properties across the United States
• Representation of a nationally recognized real estate investment manager in the formation of two REIT-compliant joint ventures for the acquisition and financing of adjacent office and industrial properties in Los Angeles
• Representation of an international real estate investment fund in its $240 million sale of a portfolio of net leased office properties across the United States
• Representation of investment arm of international insurance company in sale of interests in a Spanish company as owner of Uruguay forest farmed for timber for over $110 million
• Representation of developer of industrial cold storage facilities in multiple construction loans totaling over $150 million
• Representation of private real estate hospitality fund in formation of multiple joint ventures with international investors to acquire and renovate hospitality assets across the United States
• Representation of global real estate private equity firm in formation of platform joint venture with international life insurance company to acquire and decarbonize multifamily assets across Untied States

Ben is a member of the Boston Bar Association and a former volunteer for the New York City Bar Association Legal Hotline. Ben has also acted as pro bono counsel to several victims of domestic violence in connection with their applications for U-Visas and Green Cards.

While attending law school, Ben served as a writer and senior editor for the Uniform Commercial Code Reporter-Digest.

Ben has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for his work in Real Estate Law since 2021.

Ben’s recent article publications include:

• "The Impact of Technology in the Growth of the Life Sciences Industry,” Goodwin (October 2020)
• "Envisioning the New Normal: Real Estate + Technology: Part 5: Student Housing,” Goodwin (August 2020)
• “How 5G Will Impact Real Estate,” RealCrowd Podcast (July 2020)
• “Wicked Fast: 5G Expected to Accelerate PropTech Evolution,” Goodwin’s PropTech Pulse (April 2020)
• “PropTech’s Growing Impact on the Built Environment,” Banker and Tradesman (June 2019)
• “The Future, Now,” Commercial Investment Real Estate (July 2018)