Challenges:
A medical client needed approximately 15,000 square feet in the Metairie market, but the requirement was not as simple as finding available square footage and signing a lease. And the client needed the space ASAP.
The assignment involved a highly specific site selection process, a sublease component, and a long-term direct lease with the landlord. That meant multiple parties, overlapping lease structures, timing issues, operational requirements, and legal considerations all had to line up at the same time.
The space also needed to work for medical use, which added another layer of complexity. Parking, visibility, access, layout, buildout potential, patient flow, and long-term occupancy needs all mattered. In a tight and highly active Veterans Boulevard corridor, the margin for error was thin.
At several points, the deal had real potential to fall apart.
Actions:
Justin Langlois and Carly Plotkin worked closely with the client to evaluate the site, negotiate the structure, and keep all parties moving toward a workable solution.
The transaction required more than a traditional lease negotiation. The team had to coordinate the sublease terms, the direct lease terms, landlord approval, tenant requirements, timing, and the practical realities of converting a large-format retail/showroom-style space into a long-term medical location.
Carly Plotkin, from Stirling’s New Orleans office, played a critical role in keeping the transaction together. When the process got complicated, she stayed organized, persistent, and steady. More than once, the deal appeared to be at risk, and Carly helped pull the various pieces back into alignment.
The team focused on solving problems in real time, communicating clearly with the parties, and maintaining momentum through a transaction that had far more moving parts than a standard lease.
Results:
The client successfully secured approximately 15,000 square feet at 6851 Veterans Memorial Blvd. in Metairie, Louisiana. The final structure included both a sublease and a long-term direct lease with the landlord, giving the client a path to occupy the space now while also securing long-term control of the location.
Key results included:
This transaction is a reminder that commercial real estate deals rarely move in a straight line. Sometimes the value of an advisor is not just finding the site. It is keeping the transaction alive when timing, structure, emotions, approvals, and legal documents all start pulling in different directions.
Testimonial
"A good site matters. A good lease structure matters. But in a complicated transaction, the people holding the deal together matter just as much."
- Carly Plotkin, Stirling Properties