Thomas M. Tepe, Jr.

Tom Tepe is a Partner in Keating Muething & Klekamp's real estate development practice.  He has been successful in obtaining real estate tax reductions throughout Ohio and in several other states. He has obtained significant reductions for property owners of major office complexes, downtown office buildings, retail/commercial developments, large apartment complexes, and industrial/distribution facilities.

Tom's representation of real estate developers covers all facets of a property’s development. He has successfully litigated zoning cases throughout Ohio, as well as Kentucky and Indiana on behalf of local and national developers. He has also successfully represented land developers in opposing zoning referenda before area Boards of Election.

Additionally, Tom has successfully represented property owners in numerous eminent domain cases.  In one recent case, he obtained an award (including statutory interest) from a Lawrence County, Ohio jury in excess of $4 million above the state's initial offer of compensation.  In another case, Tom negotiated a settlement for a property owner prior to the lawsuit being filed in excess of $500,000 above the state's initial offer of compensation.

He served as an intern to State Senator Richard H. Finan, Senate President, while an undergraduate at The Ohio State University.

Representative Matters

• Successfully obtained a $39 million reduction in value on an office complex in Hamilton County resulting in an estimated tax refund of $708,500
• Successfully represented property owner in a real estate tax appeal reducing the property’s value from $33 million to $9.7 million
• Successfully reduced the value of a shopping mall located in the Kenwood market from $93.3 million to $70.5 million, resulting in a tax refund of approximately $320,000
• Successfully reduced the value of a Downtown Cincinnati Class A office building from $42 million to $28 million; and then from $28 million to $19 million
• Successfully reduced the value of Lifestyle Shopping Center in Warren County from $107 million to $86 million, resulting in an approximate tax savings of $440,000
• Significantly reduced the value of a former auto plant in Montgomery County from $21.3 million to $4.8 million, producing a tax savings of $430,300
• Handled a portfolio of warehouse buildings for an institutional investor in Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, and Butler Counties
• Successfully reduced the value of a Columbus, Ohio full service hotel from $22 million to $10 million
• Handled a portfolio of bank branch locations resulting in significant value reductions throughout Southwest Ohio
• Successfully reduced the aggregate value of two Montgomery County apartment complexes from $29.9 million to $22 million, producing an aggregate refund of approximately $175,000
• Successfully reduced the value of a Downtown Cincinnati office complex from approximately $12.2 million to $4.7 million, resulting in a tax savings of approximately $211,000
• Successfully reduced the value of a suburban shopping center from $15.3 million to $6.7 million, resulting in a tax savings of approximately $211,000

Awards & Recognitions

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
• Named the "Cincinnati Best Lawyers’ Real Estate Lawyer of the Year," 2013
• Named to Ohio Rising Stars, 2005-2011

News

• Keating Muething & Klekamp Won a Trial Court Decision for The Drees Company and Other Non-Clients in a Hamilton Township “Impact Fee” Dispute
• Five Keating Muething & Klekamp Attorneys Named Best Lawyers’ 2013 Cincinnati Lawyers of the Year
• Keating Muething & Klekamp Is Named the Top-Listed Law Firm in Ohio and Cincinnati in Numerous Areas of Law by The Best Lawyers in America 2013
• Keating Muething & Klekamp Won an Ohio Supreme Court Decision for Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati in a Warren County Township “Impact Fee” Dispute
• Keating Muething & Klekamp Attorneys Win Supreme Court of Ohio's Affirmation that Colerain Township Is Not Proper Party in Case Involving Rumpke Sanitary Landfill, Inc. v State
• Supreme Court of Ohio Agrees to Hear Case Questioning Whether Ohio Township Has Right to Impose Impact Fee on New Developments
• Judge Norbert Nadel Rules Rider to State Budget Unconstitutional; Rumpke Wins Case

Speaking Engagements

• Real Estate Tax Valuation - How and When to Appeal Your Property Tax Assessment, 2011 Commercial Real Estate Law Update, December 8, 2011

Publications

• Legal Alert: Time to Consider Appealing Your Real Property Tax Valuation, November 28, 2011

Mentioned & Quoted

• Do Valuation, Taxes on Your Property Still Reflect Reality?, Business Courier of Cincinnati, December 4, 2009

Professional & Community Involvement

• Cincinnati Bar Association
• Ohio State Bar Association
• City of Cincinnati, Committee Member, Business Development and Permit Center Advisory
• Starfire Council of Greater Cincinnati, Inc., Trustee