John Herman practices in the areas of real estate development and finance, legislative and government relations, and environmental and land use law. He has been one of the central figures in Minnesota real estate development and environmental policy for more than 25 years. John's professional accomplishments have included:

Real Estate Development

John has represented developers of numerous large scale housing, commercial, cultural, historic, and mixed use projects. Examples include:

Housing

• Represented developers of over 15,000 units of housing, including the 800 unit Laurel Village, 580 unit Heritage Landing/RiverStation, 600 unit Silver Lake Village, 200 unit Glen Lake Cove, 175 unit Village at St Anthony, and 216 unit Emerald Garden

Downtown Mixed Use

• Riverplace, Block E, City Center, Ivy Hotel and Residences, Stinson Technology Corridor

Corporate Headquarters

• General Mills Corporate Headquarters, Cargill Hopkins Campus, Graco Corporate Headquarters and Manufacturing

Industrial

• New French Bakery Kasota Facility, Stinson Technology Corridor, Graco Main Plant

Cultural

• Walker Art Center, The Children's Theatre Company, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MacPhail Center for Music

Historic

• Represented developers of numerous major historical properties, including the Forum Cafeteria, Ivy Tower, Swinford Apartments, Lumber Exchange Building, Riverplace Livery Stable and Warehouse, Washburn Crosby Milling Complex, Tension Envelope Building, regarding historical tax credit approvals, donation of facade easements, and Heritage Preservation Commission permits

Low Income Housing

• Represented developers of over 5,000 units of low and moderate income housing including tax exempt bonding (4% credit), tax increment, Section 8, low income tax credit (9% credit), housing preservation projects, and FHA insured multi-family projects

Government Affairs

• Drafted and lobbied into law numerous state and federal statutes, particularly in the environmental, energy, health care, development finance and banking areas
• Conceptualized and successfully lobbied for the state's award winning Voluntary Investigation and Clean-up (VIC) Program
• Lobbied successfully for over $250 million of park and open space bonding and legislation creating Root River State Trail, Tettagouche State Park, and Cedar Lake Park and Trail
• Represented numerous projects in obtaining or closing state bond financing including five Residential Environmental Learning Centers, Jungle Theater, Urban YWCA Olympic Soccer Training Center, Harriet Tubman Center for Women, Children's Theatre Company,  MacPhail Center for Music, Shubert Theatre for Dance and Music, Ordway Center for Performing Arts,  Minnesota Orchestra, and Community Emergency Assistance Program/Hennepin County NW Family Service Center
• Represented three Independent Power Producer (IPPs) projects in special tax legislation and development approvals
• Legislative counsel for many businesses and trade associations, government entities and non-profit organizations

Regulatory Approvals and Land Use

• Drafted the Minnesota Coastal Zone Management Plan for the North Shore of Lake Superior and the Metropolitan Land Use Planning Act and Metropolitan Significance Regulations of the Metropolitan Council, plus numerous other zoning code provisions; legal advisor to City of Minneapolis on 1998-1999 zoning code revisions, special counsel to City of Mendota Heights on its "Town Center" project and special counsel to City of Minnetonka on open space acquisition
• Extensive experience in project specific permitting and land use approvals and with environmental, historic and hazardous waste issues in real estate transactions. Examples include: HHH Metrodome, Minneapolis Convention Center, Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority Light Rail Transit Master Plan, UNIMIN Ottawa and Kasota Mining Expansions, Shiely Grey Cloud Island Aggregate Facility and Minneapolis Upper Harbor Distribution Center, City Center, Riverplace, Medtronic (Fridley) Headquarters Campus, University of St. Thomas Law School, Block E, Walker Art Center, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts Target Wing Expansion, General Mills HQ Expansion

Professional Recognition

• The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate, Environmental Law, Land Use & Zoning Law, over 20 years
• Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Real Estate, Environmental, and Zoning/Land Use, since inception of ranking
• Minnesota Super Lawyers, Real Estate, since inception of ranking
• Certified Real Property Specialist
• Best Author's Award, Minnesota State Bar Association
• Minneapolis Committee on Urban Environment
  CUE Award for Save Cedar Lake Park
• Environmentalist of the Decade, 1970's
  Sierra Club, Northstar Chapter
• Adjunct Professor of Environmental Law
  University of Minnesota Law School (1980)
• Adjunct Professor of Environmental Law
  Hamline Law School (1978)
• Adjunct Professor of Legislative Advocacy
  William Mitchell College of Law (1999–2001)

Publications and Presentations

• Minnesota's New Historic Tax Credit (2010)
• Hot Topics in Housing and Community Development:
  Minnesota Historic Tax Credit  (2010)
• Condominium Development-The Developer Perspective (2005)
• Tax Increment Update, 2002
• Historical Preservation - Regulation and Incentives (2002)
• Governmental Assistance for Development (1999)
• Brownsfields in Bloom: Restoring Contaminated Property
  Bench and Bar of Minnesota (1997)
• Nourishing Renewal, Eased Liability for Hazardous Waste
  Bench and Bar of Minnesota (1992)
• Environmental Review: An Unfulfilled Promise
  Bench and Bar of Minnesota (1990)

Recent Civic Appointments

• Governor's Advisory Committee on Building Ownership and Design (1991)
• Minnesota Institute of Public Finance Board of Directors (1991–92)
• Save Cedar Lake Park Board of Directors (1990–92)
• Minneapolis Park Board, Chain of Lakes Water Quality Commission, chair (1993)
• The Jungle Theater Board of Directors (1996–2001, 2006–07)
• The Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Chapter Board of Directors (1996–98)
• University of Minnesota College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Advisory Board (1995–2000)
• Metropolitan Council, Transportation Advisory Board (1999–2003)
• Trust for Public Land, Minnesota Advisory Board (2001–present)
• Legislative Citizen's Commission on Minnesota Resources, Commissioner (2006–14) (Senate appointee)
• Permanent School Trust Fund Advisory Committee (2008–present)

Honors

• Super Lawyers, Real Estate, 2011

Professional Associations

• The Best Lawyers in America, Environmental Law; Land Use & Zoning Law, 1992–2012