As part of the Brooklyn Bridge Park redevelopment, I own land I'll sell to the park's development subsidiary for $1.00, then lease back for up to 99 years to build a mixed-use condo project, with an option to buy the fee back for $1.00 when the lease ends. I've agreed to pay any transfer taxes that ARE due. Is this $1-sale/leaseback/$1-repurchase structure a taxable RETT conveyance, or does it qualify as debt-security financing?

Plain-English summary

360 Brooklyn Investors, LLC owned property at 360 Furman Street in Brooklyn and entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation (BBPDC, a subsidiary of Empire State Development Corporation) to redevelop the site as a mixed-use condominium project (residential apartments, commercial space, and parking) as part of the Brooklyn Bridge Park's General Project Plan. Under the deal: the owner would sell fee title to BBPDC for $1.00 (the "Sale"), simultaneously enter a ground lease of the property back from BBPDC (the "Lease," together with the Sale forming the "Sale-Leaseback Transaction") with a term up to 99 years, and, upon the Lease's expiration or termination, the owner (or its successor) would have an option to repurchase fee title for $1.00 (the "Reconveyance"). The owner agreed to pay whatever state and city transfer taxes were actually determined to be due.

Lease payments would take the form of PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes) equivalent to what the City would otherwise levy, shifting to individual condominium unit owners' proportionate shares once the property was subdivided. A companion "CCR Declaration" (covenants, conditions and restrictions) would require the developer/owner to pay BBPDC an annual "Park Contribution" (starting at $1,250,000, escalating 3% annually) funding park maintenance. A separate Development Agreement addressed additional payments in lieu of sales tax (PILOST) and mortgage recording tax equivalents, developer guaranties, and a Developer Mortgage on unsold condo units.

The Department's core holding: viewed as a single financing transaction, the initial $1 Sale, the Lease's creation, and the eventual $1 Reconveyance back to the original owner are NOT subject to RETT, because they fall within the Tax Law §1405(b)(2) exemption for conveyances used to secure a debt or obligation — the MOU made clear the owner never intended to relinquish control and would keep enjoying the practical benefits and responsibilities of ownership throughout, with the eventual reconveyance simply representing satisfaction of the security arrangement (following the Department's own precedent in TSB-A-03(1)R, the Milstein Brothers 42nd Street ruling, and Matter of Atlantic Cement Company, Inc. v. Murphy).

But the Department was explicit that this exemption rests on an important assumption: that the Tenant at the time of Lease expiration/reconveyance has the SAME beneficial ownership, in the SAME proportionate share, as the original petitioner throughout — no change in beneficial interest. If beneficial ownership changes at any point along the way, RETT applies to that step, with the original petitioner (as the true beneficial owner) treated as the taxable grantor, by analogy to the IDA-direction conveyance rule in 20 NYCRR §575.11(a)(14). Two specific follow-on transactions were flagged as independently taxable regardless of the main exemption: (1) any assignment of the Lease to a "Permitted Assignee" (allowed upon a developer financing default) that involves a change in beneficial interest, per 20 NYCRR §§575.7(d)(1) and 575.10; and (2) the eventual assignment of the Lease from the Tenant to the condominium's Board of Managers, once the property is subdivided into condominium units — treated the same as a sponsor-to-cooperative-housing-corporation conveyance under 20 NYCRR §575.11(a)(12), which is squarely taxable.

What this means for you

A nominal ($1) public-private redevelopment sale-leaseback can be structured as debt-security financing, RETT-free

If a public development entity buys your property for nominal consideration and immediately leases it back to you (or your controlled successor) with a guaranteed nominal-price repurchase option, and you retain the real economic benefits/burdens of ownership throughout, the whole sequence can be treated as RETT-exempt financing rather than a taxable sale -- following the same doctrine as the 42nd Street redevelopment ruling (TSB-A-03(1)R).

The exemption evaporates if beneficial ownership changes hands along the way

This ruling is explicit that its conclusion depends entirely on the SAME beneficial owner (in the same proportionate share) holding the Tenant position throughout the arrangement -- any shift in who beneficially owns the leasehold/repurchase-option interest makes that step independently taxable, with the original owner treated as the grantor.

Converting the leaseback into condominium form triggers its own separate tax event

Even under this generally favorable "debt-security financing" ruling, the specific step of assigning the Lease to the condominium's Board of Managers once units are created is squarely taxable -- treated the same as any sponsor-to-cooperative-housing-corporation conveyance, regardless of the underlying financing structure's tax-exempt treatment.

Common questions

Q: If a public development agency buys my property for $1 and leases it back to me, is that automatically RETT-free?
A: Not automatically -- it needs to genuinely function as debt-security financing, with you retaining the real practical benefits and burdens of ownership throughout, and it depends critically on beneficial ownership never actually changing hands during the arrangement.

Q: What happens if the entity leasing the property back changes ownership partway through (e.g., a new investor comes in)?
A: RETT would apply to that change -- the exemption only holds if beneficial ownership stays with the same parties in the same proportions throughout; a genuine change in beneficial interest is a taxable event, with the original beneficial owner treated as the grantor.

Q: Does converting a leased redevelopment property into condominium units trigger tax even if the underlying financing was RETT-exempt?
A: Yes -- assigning the lease to the resulting condominium's Board of Managers is independently taxable, analogous to a sponsor-to-cooperative-housing-corporation conveyance, regardless of how the underlying sale-leaseback financing was treated.

Citations and references

Statutes, guidance, and case law:

• Section 1402(a) of the Tax Law
• Section 1401(d) of the Tax Law
• Section 1401(e) of the Tax Law
• Section 1401(f) of the Tax Law
• Section 1405(b) of the Tax Law
• Section 575.7(d)(1) of the Real Estate Transfer Tax Regulations
• Section 575.10 of the Regulations
• Section 575.11 of the Regulations
• TSB-A-03(1)(R) (Urban Development Corporation/Milstein Brothers 42nd Street LLC, October 9, 2003)
• Matter of Atlantic Cement Company, Inc. v. Murphy, 30 A.D.2d 456 (1968), aff'd 28 N.Y.2d 502 (1971)
• TSB-A-98(69)S, (3)R (Beth Israel Medical Center, October 7, 1998)
• TSB-A-01(7)R (Time Warner, Inc., July 26, 2001)

Source

• Landing page: https://www.tax.ny.gov/pubs_and_bulls/advisory_opinions/real_estate_tran_ao_2006.htm
• Opinion: https://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/advisory_opinions/real_estate/a06_3r.pdf

Original ruling text

New York State Department of Taxation and Finance

Office of Tax Policy Analysis
Technical Services Division

TSB-A-06(3)R
Real Estate Transfer Tax
November 30, 2006

STATE OF NEW YORK
COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND FINANCE
ADVISORY OPINION

PETITION NO. M060622A

On June 22, 2006, the Department of Taxation and Finance received a Petition for
Advisory Opinion from 360 Brooklyn Investors, LLC, c/o RAL Development Services, LLC, 86
Chambers Street, Suite 704, New York, NY 10007.
The issue raised by Petitioner, 360 Brooklyn Investors, LLC, is whether a sale-leaseback
transaction and a repurchase transaction related to property located at 360 Furman Street,
Brooklyn, New York, are subject to the real estate transfer tax imposed by Article 31 of the Tax
Law.
Petitioner submits the following facts as the basis for this Advisory Opinion.
Petitioner is the owner of the property known as 360 Furman Street, Brooklyn, New York
(the “Property”). Petitioner recently entered into an Amended and Restated Memorandum of
Understanding, dated February 24, 2006, and amended by letter dated June 13, 2006,
(collectively, the “MOU”) with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation
(“BBPDC”). BBPDC is a subsidiary of the New York State Urban Development Corporation
d/b/a Empire State Development Corporation.
Pursuant to the terms of the MOU, the parties contemplate the redevelopment of the
Property as a mixed-use condominium project containing residential apartments, commercial
space, and a parking garage consistent with the objectives of the BBPDC in accordance with the
General Project Plan (“GPP”) adopted for the Brooklyn Bridge Park (the “Park”).
Under the terms of the MOU, upon satisfaction of certain conditions, Petitioner will sell
and convey fee title to the Property to BBPDC for $1.00 (the “Sale”). Simultaneously, Petitioner
will enter into a ground lease (“Lease”) of the Property with the BBPDC. Together, the Sale and
Lease constitute the “Sale-Leaseback Transaction.” Upon the expiration or termination of the
Lease, Petitioner or its successor-in-interest will have an option to repurchase fee title to the
Property for $1.00 (the “Reconveyance Transaction”).
The Sale
In connection with the Sale, current mortgage liens against the fee interest in the Property
will be released from the fee interest and Petitioner may (1) spread such existing mortgage liens
to Petitioner’s leasehold interest under the Lease, including Petitioner’s option to repurchase the
Property pursuant to the Lease, and (2) encumber Petitioner’s leasehold interest under the Lease

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with additional leasehold mortgages, in each case, in accordance with the MOU and transaction
documents. Petitioner has also agreed to pay the New York State and New York City transfer
taxes in connection with the Sale-Leaseback Transaction and the Reconveyance Transaction, if
any are determined to be due.
The Lease
Under the terms of the Lease, BBPDC will be landlord and Petitioner, or another entity
owned and controlled by Robert A. Levine (“Levine”) or AIG Global Real Estate Corp. (“AIG”)
or an affiliate of Levine or AIG, will be the developer of the Property (“Developer”) and initial
tenant (“Tenant”) under the Lease. The term of the Lease will not exceed 99 years and Tenant
will have the option to repurchase the Property upon (1) expiration of the Lease or (2)
termination of the Lease under certain conditions throughout the life of the Lease.
In addition to the Lease, the parties will execute a declaration of covenants, conditions
and restrictions (“CCR Declaration”). BBPDC and Developer will be the initial parties to the
CCR Declaration. Developer or any of its successors is referred to as “Owner” with respect to
the CCR Declaration. The term of the CCR Declaration is 99 years.
Tenant or Owner (as the case may be) may assign its interest in the Lease or the CCR
Declaration to a “Permitted Assignee” in the event of default by Developer under the financing
for the acquisition and/or construction of the Property. In addition, the parties intend that, upon
submission of the Property to condominium ownership, (1) Tenant’s interest in the Lease will be
assigned to the condominium board of managers (“Condo Board”) and (2) the Condo Board will
assume the obligations of Tenant set forth in the Lease and the obligations of Owner set forth in
the CCR Declaration.
Payments under the Lease will be in the form of payments in lieu of taxes (“PILOT”) to
BBPDC in an amount equivalent to the real property taxes and assessments that the City of
New York would levy on the Property if it were not owned by BBPDC or a tax-exempt entity.
The parties intend that, after the Property is subdivided into condominium units, the owner of
each condominium unit, rather than Tenant, will be responsible for the payment of each owner’s
proportionate share of the PILOT payment. Neither Tenant nor the owner of any condominium
unit will be obliged to make PILOT payments under the Lease during any period for which the
Property or any condominium unit is subject to real estate taxes or assessments payable to the
City of New York. Tenant (or after expiration or termination of the Lease, Owner) will be
responsible for payment of all water, sewer, and other charges that the City of New York levies
against the Property, which amounts will be paid directly to the City when due.
The CCR Declaration will provide that Owner will pay to BBPDC a “Park Contribution.”
The initial amount of the Park Contribution is $1,250,000 per year and will be increased by 3%

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on the third anniversary of the contribution commencement date and on each anniversary
thereafter. The Park Contribution will be used to pay for park maintenance, repair, and
replacements. Owner’s obligation to make Park Contributions will cease upon the expiration of
the CCR Declaration.
The Lease and CCR Declaration will provide certain remedies in the event of default. If
Tenant or Owner (as the case may be) fails to pay amounts due or perform any obligations under
the Lease or CCR Declaration, the lenders will be given a reasonable time to cure. If not cured
timely, BBPDC will have the right to pursue remedies to enforce payment and performance of
any obligations under the Lease or CCR Declaration and have the right to terminate the Lease.
The Reconveyance
Upon expiration or termination of the Lease, Tenant will have the option to purchase
BBPDC’s fee interest in the Property for the sum of $1.00 plus the amount of any unpaid
payments under the Lease for the period through the date of purchase.
Development Agreement
The MOU indicates that the parties will enter into a “Development Agreement.” Among
other provisions, the Development Agreement provides that Petitioner, or another entity owned
and controlled by Levine or AIG or an affiliate of AIG, will be the Developer.
Developer will make payments in lieu of sales tax (''PILOST'') to BBPDC on materials,
goods, fixtures, equipment, and other items that Developer, its contractors, and subcontractors do
not pay as a result of the Property being owned by BBPDC or a tax-exempt entity.
Developer will pay to BBPDC an amount equal to the New York State and New York
City mortgage recording taxes (''MRT'') that would be due on any mortgage financing or
refinancing secured by the Property or the Lease if the landlord was not a corporate
governmental entity of New York State. BBPDC agrees to be a party to any mortgage financing
or refinancing secured by the Property or the Lease, provided BBPDC will have no obligations
under such mortgage. Amounts due for MRT payments will be due on the date of closing of the
mortgage financing or refinancing. Petitioner will be entitled to any credits available from the
payment of MRT in connection with mortgages on the Property or the Lease for which Petitioner
has paid MRT. The amount of any credit due to Petitioner will be credited against any future
payments due under the Lease, the CCR Declaration, or the Development Agreement.
Developer has agreed to make a significant fixed payment upon the earlier of (1) the
lease, sale, or refinancing of the construction loan for the condominium unit(s) situated at the

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rear of the second floor of the Development or (2) the second anniversary of the date of issuance
of the first certificate of occupancy for residential condominium units. Developer will also make
other payments based on a percentage of the gross revenues generated by the sale of
condominium units.
When the condominium declaration is recorded, the CCR Declaration will be assumed by
the Condo Board. Upon such assumption, Developer will guaranty all payments due under the
CCR Declaration (the “Guaranty”) until (a) 75% of the residential condominium units are sold to
bona fide purchasers, and (b) Developer has paid the PILOST and MRT payments referred to
above. Once the conditions under (a) and (b) are satisfied, Developer will be released from any
further liability under the Guaranty except to the extent Developer is the owner of unsold
condominium units.
Developer’s obligation to make all payments required under the Guaranty and the
Development Agreement will be secured by a mortgage on all unsold condominium units (the
“Developer Mortgage”). BBPDC will enter into an intercreditor agreement with respect to the
Developer Mortgage. The intercreditor agreement will provide that BBPDC will be prohibited
from foreclosing on such mortgage or otherwise exercising any remedies thereunder during the
period that any senior financing is outstanding provided the senior lender will have adequate
notice and cure periods upon a default by Developer. The intercreditor agreement will contain
other customary intercreditor provisions.
Developer will obtain and maintain during construction (or will cause Developer’s
contractor or construction manager to obtain and maintain) a payment and performance bond
naming BBPDC as obligee, or a letter of credit naming BBPDC as beneficiary.
Applicable law and regulations
Section 1402(a) of the Tax Law imposes the real estate transfer tax on each conveyance
of real property or interest therein and provides, in part:
A tax is hereby imposed on each conveyance of real property or interest therein
when the consideration exceeds five hundred dollars, at the rate of two dollars for each
five hundred dollars or fractional part thereof;...

Section 1401(d) of the Tax Law provides, in part:

"Consideration" means the price actually paid or required to be paid for the real
property or interest therein, including payment for an option or contract to purchase real
property, whether or not expressed in the deed and whether paid or required to be paid by

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money, property, or any other thing of value. It shall include the cancellation or discharge
of an indebtedness or obligation. It shall also include the amount of any mortgage,
purchase money mortgage, lien or other encumbrance, whether or not the underlying
indebtedness is assumed or taken subject to.
(i) In the case of a creation of a leasehold interest or the granting of an option with
use and occupancy of real property, consideration shall include but not be limited to the
value of the rental and other payments attributable to the use and occupancy of the real
property or interest therein, the value of any amount paid for an option to purchase or
renew and the value of rental or other payments attributable to the exercise of any option
to renew.

Section 1401(e) of the Tax Law provides:
"Conveyance" means the transfer or transfers of any interest in real property by
any method, including but not limited to sale, exchange, assignment, surrender, mortgage
foreclosure, transfer in lieu of foreclosure, option, trust indenture, taking by eminent
domain, conveyance upon liquidation or by a receiver, or transfer or acquisition of a
controlling interest in any entity with an interest in real property. Transfer of an interest
in real property shall include the creation of a leasehold or sublease only where (i) the
sum of the term of the lease or sublease and any options for renewal exceeds forty-nine
years, (ii) substantial capital improvements are or may be made by or for the benefit of
the lessee or sublessee, and (iii) the lease or sublease is for substantially all of the
premises constituting the real property. Notwithstanding the foregoing, conveyance of
real property shall not include a conveyance pursuant to devise, bequest or inheritance;
the creation, modification, extension, spreading, severance, consolidation, assignment,
transfer, release or satisfaction of a mortgage; a mortgage subordination agreement, a
mortgage severance agreement, an instrument given to perfect or correct a recorded
mortgage; or a release of lien of tax pursuant to this chapter or the internal revenue code.
Section 1401(f) of the Tax Law provides:
"Interest in the real property" includes title in fee, a leasehold interest, a beneficial
interest, an encumbrance, development rights, air space and air rights, or any other
interest with the right to use or occupancy of real property or the right to receive rents,
profits or other income derived from real property. It shall also include an option or
contract to purchase real property. It shall not include a right of first refusal to purchase
real property.
Section 1405(b) of the Tax Law provides, in part:
The tax shall not apply to the following conveyances:

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*

*

*

2. Conveyances which are or were used to secure a debt or other obligation;
   *

*

*

6. Conveyances to effectuate a mere change of identity or form of ownership or
   organization where there is no change in beneficial ownership, other than conveyances to
   a cooperative housing corporation of the real property comprising the cooperative
   dwelling or dwellings;
   Section 575.7(d)(1) of the Real Estate Transfer Tax Regulations (“Regulations”)
   provides:
   An interest in real property includes a leasehold interest and an option or contract
   to purchase real property. Therefore, the transfer of a leasehold interest, regardless of the
   term, or the transfer of an option or contract to purchase real property, by assignment or
   surrender, is a conveyance subject to tax.
   Section 575.10 of the Regulations provides, in part:
   To the extent that a conveyance effectuates a mere change of identity or form of
   ownership or organization and there is no change in beneficial ownership, the real estate
   transfer tax does not apply….
   Section 575.11 of the Regulations provides, in part:
   (a) The following are examples of conveyances which are subject to the real
   estate transfer tax.
   *

*

*

(12) A conveyance by a sponsor to a cooperative housing corporation is subject
to tax. (Consideration in such case includes the amount of cash received by the sponsor,
the amount of any mortgages, liens or encumbrances on the real property and the fair
market value of the shares in the cooperative housing corporation which are transferred to
the sponsor.)
(13) A conveyance of real property to an industrial development agency (IDA) by
a person who is not the beneficiary of the IDA financing, at the direction of such
beneficiary, with such beneficiary subsequently leasing the property from the IDA, is
subject to tax. In such a conveyance, the beneficiary of the IDA financing and not the

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IDA is deemed to be the grantee, and therefore the exemption described at section
575.9(c)(1) of this Part does not apply.
(14) A conveyance of real property by an IDA to a person who is not the
beneficiary of the IDA financing where such conveyance is made at the direction of such
beneficiary is subject to tax. In such a conveyance, the beneficiary of the IDA financing
is deemed to be the grantor of the conveyance.
Opinion
When the intent of the parties to a sale-leaseback transaction is to secure a debt or
obligation and there is no change in the beneficial ownership, the transaction is not a conveyance
subject to the real estate transfer tax. In such case, the reconveyance of the fee interest at the
end of the lease represents the satisfaction of the instrument securing the debt or obligation. See
Matter of Atlantic Cement Company, Inc. v Murphy, 30 AD2d 456 (1968), aff’d 28 NY2d 502
(1971); Beth Israel Medical Center, Adv Op T&F, October 7, 1998, TSB-A-98(69)S, (3)R; Time
Warner, Inc., Adv Op T&F, July 26, 2001, TSB-A-01(7)R.
The provisions outlined in the MOU make it clear that Petitioner does not intend to
relinquish its control of the Property and will continue to enjoy the benefits and responsibilities
of ownership. Rather, the parties are entering into the Sale-Leaseback Transaction as a means of
securing Petitioner’s payments and obligations under the Lease, CCR Declaration, and
Development Agreement. Upon expiration or termination of the Lease, BBPDC will convey fee
title back to Petitioner or its successor-in-interest in release or satisfaction of its security interest.
Accordingly, viewed as a single financing transaction, the conveyance of fee title by Petitioner to
BBPDC, the creation of the Lease, and the reconveyance of fee title by BBPDC to Petitioner
upon expiration or termination of the Lease are not subject to real estate transfer tax. See
sections 1401(e) and 1405(b)(2) of the Tax Law and Urban Development Corporation (d/b/a
Empire State Development Corporation) and Milstein Brothers 42nd Street LLC, Adv Op T&F,
October 9, 2003, TSB-A-03(1)(R).
However, this conclusion is based upon the assumption that Petitioner is the initial
Tenant or the entities that may assume the obligations of Tenant have the same ownership as
Petitioner in the same proportionate share with no change in beneficial interest. To the extent
there is a change in beneficial interest in connection with the Lease or Reconveyance, the real
estate transfer tax will apply. Similar to the IDA transaction discussed in section 575.11(a)(14)
of the Regulations, in such a conveyance, Petitioner, as beneficial owner of the property, would
be considered to be the grantor and not BBPDC. Consideration would be computed in
accordance with the applicable provisions of section 1401(d) of the Tax Law.
It should also be noted that a subsequent assignment of the Lease to a Permitted Assignee
would be subject to tax to the extent there is a change in beneficial interest. (See sections

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575.7(d)(1) and 575.10 of the Regulations.) Furthermore, the assignment of the Lease by Tenant
to the Condo Board is subject to tax as provided by section 575.11(a)(12) of the Regulations.

DATED: November 30, 2006

NOTE:

/s/
Jonathan Pessen
Tax Regulations Specialist IV
Technical Services Division

The opinions expressed in Advisory Opinions are
limited to the facts set forth therein.