Industry focus
I work closely with clients to identify and achieve successful outcomes by leveraging expertise, experience, and technology.
How I represent clients at Schwabe
With my many decades of experience, I have represented a variety of clients, including commercial real estate developers, public sector entities, and tribal entities, in some of the region’s most complex and challenging projects. Utilizing my business perspective and extensive background in land use, environmental permitting, property development, Growth Management Act planning and compliance, leasing, and financing, I advise clients while keeping their larger objectives in mind.
I also advise clients in business transactions, including business planning and formation, mergers and acquisitions, and serves as outside counsel for many closely held businesses.
Additionally, I have extensive experience in government relations, public policy, and advocacy. He has represented a number of businesses, commercial real estate, and Native American tribal clients on a broad range of legislative and public policy issues before various local, state, and federal elected officials and agencies. I have successfully drafted and advocated for the passage of legislation in areas including economic development, transportation, land use planning, environmental, sales tax reform, solid waste management, and health care.
I founded the Horenstein Law Group in Vancouver, Washington, and have deep roots in the Vancouver community.
Experience
Commercial Real Estate
- Represented a private owner in the sale of a large aluminum production facility to a public port.
- Served as Washington opinion counsel for a national client refinancing $150 million in debt secured by property around the United States.
- Represented a borrower in financing business purchase transactions and commercial real estate development construction, including mezzanine and permanent loans.
- Provided financing, commercial real estate, and land use representation in siting a four-tower mixed-use project in downtown Vancouver, Washington, including two buildings with office, retail, and residential and two apartment/condominium buildings with an 860-space underground parking garage.
- Represented a client building a 450-acre light-industrial/office/retail center, including land acquisition and negotiating and documenting a significant development agreement of percentage uses, vesting, and transportation capacity. Ongoing: support efforts to obtain site-plan approval and conditional use permits.
- Obtained development approvals for a retail warehouse club, including site-plan approval, zoning determination, wetlands permitting, and transportation management solutions.
- Provided land acquisition and land use services for four developers building office complexes in downtown Vancouver, Washington, that each include a parking garage sold to the city.
- Engaged in property acquisition and achieved land use approvals for siting numerous public lands with K–12 school facilities, obtaining site-plan approval, transportation concurrency, and environmental permits.
- Represented two transit agencies in property acquisition and facility siting/land use permits for park and rides, transit centers, and a mixed-use vertical transit facility with retail space.
- Represented regional health care provider with land acquisition for parcel aggregation and land use services for expansion of a hospital.
Government Relations and Public Policy
- Represented a Native tribe in its development of a 368,000-square-foot resort and casino. Results achieved include negotiated intergovernmental agreements for infrastructure services, negotiated and documented permits and agreements with state and federal highway authorities for the construction of an urban interchange by the tribe, acquired rights-of-way, negotiated and documented an intergovernmental agreement for the tribe to fund and construct a major sewer line to serve surrounding development, and defended tribal rights vis a vis local law.
- Assisted a port client in planning for and permitting a light-industrial business park on 200 acres, including negotiations with jurisdictional city for infrastructure services and drafting a Development Agreement.
- Provided ongoing government relations and strategic advice to transit agency regarding interactions and relationship with state and federal agencies, including funding, transit facility development, light rail extension, bi-state transit service, and interactions with elected officials.
- Negotiated closure and post-closure permits and consent decrees for three major landfills in Washington, including managing environmental review and closure plan development and participating before government agencies to obtain permit approvals and funding.
- Represented a consortium of school districts in developing growth management planning policies for school siting in Clark County and its cities and creating a school impact fee formula.
Education
- University of Washington, Bachelor of Arts degree, Political Science (1971)
- Lewis & Clark, Law School, Juris Doctor degree (1975)
Admissions
- Oregon State Courts
- Washington State Courts
Memberships
- Clark County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Awards
- Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America®, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law (2024-2025)
- Steve is a Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review rated lawyer of AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5.0.
Additional Events
“Comprehensive Plan Update,” Lunch Keynote Speaker, SWCA Construction Executive Summit, February 2024
Services
Community Activities
- Columbia River Economic Development Council, Founder, past Chair, and current Board Member
- Washington State University Vancouver Advisory Council, Chair and Adjunct Professor teaching upper division Public Affairs Majors
- Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, past Chair and Board Member
- Responsible Growth Forum, past Chair and Board Member
- Identity Clark County, Founder and past Board Member
- Leadership Clark County, Founder
- Columbia River Crossing, Project Sponsors Council, Co-Chair
- The Historic Trust, Board Chair, Finance Committee Chair, Executive Committee Member
- Southwest Washington Center for the Arts, Board Member
- First Independent Bank, Board Member
Outside Interests
I am really a lawyer in a musician's body.
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