How to Lock in 99 Years of Cash Flow (Today) with Commercial Ground Leases

Imagine owning a property with enormous upside , but one that’s operationally complex and requires hundreds of thousands or even millions in capital improvements . What do you do? Selling leaves value on the table . A joint venture dilutes control and introduces unnecessary risk . So what’s the alternative? One of commercial real estate’s most underutilized capital structures: the ground lease. Danielle Ash , partner and co-chair of the ground lease practice at Adler & Stachenfeld, has helped countless investors generate predictable cash flow , preserve long-term ownership , and even unlock trapped equity with this often-overlooked strategy. She unpacks the three main “buckets” of ground leases, along with the sale-leaseback option that allows owner-operators to create liquidity for other projects. Danielle also shares a real-world case study involving a New York City property with massive potential and a $200 million renovation , managed and paid for by the lessee. Whether the goal is to free up capital for future acquisitions or create a long-term passive income stream while benefitting from capital improvements, the ground lease is a powerful tool worth exploring. Insights from today’s episode: How to create long-term cash flow with commercial ground leases A real case study of a New York City ground lease deal involving a $200 million renovation (paid by the lessee!) The biggest risks to consider before entering into a ground lease agreement Why a ground lease is often a win-win for both owner and operator What lenders look for when underwriting ground lease tenants How owner-operators can create liquidity through sale-leasebacks

How to Lock in 99 Years of Cash Flow (Today) with Commercial Ground Leases | Ep. 997