Hasen Construction LLC, led by Brandon Chasen, rose quickly in Baltimore’s adaptive-reuse market by converting aging offices into housing, including the $11 million One Calvert Plaza project. But rapid expansion built on high leverage and short-term debt unraveled as rates rose and liquidity dried up, leading to defaults and bankruptcy. Weak governance and minimal reserves exposed deeper structural flaws, showing that in real estate, vision without structure is risky.

The Holiday Inn Port of Miami-Downtown, purchased for $65M in 2015, is headed for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy auction this December with a $175M listing price. Its owners defaulted on a $70M floating-rate loan as rising interest costs strained finances. Despite valuable air rights and redevelopment potential, the project’s timing and structure proved vulnerable, underscoring that resilience, not entitlement, defines real estate success.

Bankruptcy offers a financial reset for those overwhelmed by debt. The two main types, Chapter 7 and Chapter 11, serve different needs. Chapter 7 liquidates non-exempt assets to clear most debts quickly, while Chapter 11 allows businesses to reorganize and continue operating under court oversight. Knowing which fits your situation is key to regaining financial stability.

On October 14, 2025, Weatherstone, LLC, a single-asset real estate entity in Dallas, Georgia, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. SPE Specialists monitors such filings to spot market distress and guide stakeholders on restructuring. Weatherstone’s challenges stem from high leverage, rising rates, and slowing sales. Under SARE rules, the case will move quickly, with upcoming filings revealing creditor exposure and recovery options.

Independent directors safeguard bankruptcy remoteness across CMBS, ABS, project finance, CTL, and private credit. They protect cash flows, meet rating agency standards, and bolster lender confidence. SPE Specialists provides experienced directors who ensure structures remain compliant, credible, and resilient.

In structured finance, ratings live or die on deal structure. One element agencies often require for investment-grade, especially on $20M+ deals, is an independent director. Here’s why that role curbs bankruptcy risk, strengthens SPEs, and lowers financing costs, and how SPE Specialists helps issuers meet the mark.

Independent directors are widely used to help maintain bankruptcy remoteness, but is their power to block a bankruptcy filing truly enforceable? U.S. bankruptcy law is built on the principle that any eligible entity should have access to the protection of the courts when facing financial distress.

101 Via Mizner Bankruptcy Ends in Fire Sale. Sold for $235M, well below the non-bankruptcy reported value and and Grant Cardone, which will be merging this asset with a $100MM bitcoin fund with a planned condo exit

When lenders require a bankruptcy-remote structure in a structured finance transaction, the inclusion of an independent director isn’t optional, it’s essential. But how exactly are these directors appointed? And what qualifies someone to take on this critical role?

Six months of legal battles, uncertainty, and value destruction, all avoidable with proper governance structures in place. In volatile markets, independent directors are insurance against exactly this scenario.

A NYC multifamily developer just combined dozen of entities and 5,000 units into a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing - exactly what bankruptcy...

Independent Directors are individuals who are unaffiliated with the borrower or its corporate group and are appointed to serve on the board or governing body SPE.

In today’s fast-moving commercial real estate debt markets, timing is everything and the checklists are daunting. At SPE Specialists, we don’t just promise rapid execution, we deliver it. Last week, a sponsor came to us with a last-minute closing deadline and zero margin for error. In under 24 hours, our team had everything in place to keep the deal on track.