Commercial Real Estate Transactions

Shopping Center Development

Real Estate Finance

Commercial Leasing

Acquisitions and Sales of Commercial Properties

Compensation Committee, Chair

• Ohio, 1989

• George Washington University Law School, J.D., 1989
• University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1986, cum laude

John Krug is a member of Frost Brown Todd LLC, based in the Cincinnati office.  He focuses his practice on commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions and sales, development projects, financing, leasing and construction contracting.   He also represents a number of privately held corporate clients on general business matters.  

John has served as developer’s counsel in the site acquisition, financing and leasing of shopping center projects in multiple states, and in acquiring and repositioning existing centers.  He has also represented project anchors in lease and REA negotiations.  He has represented multiple clients as borrower’s counsel in negotiating and closing CMBS and life insurance company mortgage loans on retail, hotel and multi-family properties.

John’s leasing experience includes representation of both landlords and tenants in significant office, industrial and retail leases.  He has represented both public and privately held companies with regard to their ongoing real estate needs, including due diligence investigation and acquisition of new sites, office and warehouse leasing and disposition of excess property.  John has represented several regional banks in negotiating and closing construction loans for retail, office, hotel and apartment projects. 

John has significant experience negotiating and drafting construction-related agreements, including construction contracts, site development agreements, architect agreements, construction management agreements and design-build contracts.  

John is a licensed title insurance agent in the State of Ohio, and a Manager of the firm’s affiliated title agency, Multi-State Title Agency, LLC.

Representation of developer in land acquisition, anchor parcel sale, development and leasing of shopping centers in Ohio, South Dakota, Iowa and North Carolina 

Representation of borrower in closing $35MM+ CMBS loan secured by shopping centers in six states 

Representation of developer in ongoing acquisition program involving grocery-anchored retail centers in multiple states 

Representation of borrower in complex workout including deed-in-lieu transaction, settlement with mortgage and mezzanine lenders and creation of new JV ownership and management structure 

Representation of national banks in numerous acquisition, construction and mini-perm loans for hotel, office, land development and multi-family projects 

Representation of owner in negotiating $63MM design-build construction contract for corporate operations center

Representation of multi-family developer in land acquisition, construction financing and permanent financing of new apartment communities in Ohio and Kentucky 

Representation of anchor retailer in renegotiation of enclosed mall REA to accommodate redevelopment of site as a mixed-use project 

Representation of both publicly-traded and private manufacturing companies in disposition of closed plants and leasing of bulk warehouse/distribution space

• The Best Lawyers in America®, 2011- 2019
• AV® Rated, Martindale-Hubbell®

• Cincinnati Bar Association
• Ohio State Bar Association
• American Bar Association, Real Property Section
• International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

• Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati: Board of Trustees, Secretary
• Talbert House Fatherhood Luncheon: Planning Committee