Juan D. Reyes III

Juan D. Reyes is a nationally recognized advisor on real estate development, transportation infrastructure, and federal financing, known for guiding complex public-private projects from concept to completion. He is a member of Ice Miller’s Real Estate, Environmental & Energy Law (REEL) Group and a key part of the firm’s private equity team in New York. Representing a diverse client base that includes developers, retailers, nonprofits, educational institutions, corporations, and more, Juan helps his clients navigate complex regulatory landscapes to achieve their development goals. His transactional work spans real estate development, construction, transportation infrastructure, and complex financing. He simplifies the investment cycle, leveraging decades of experience and innovative strategies to deliver successful outcomes.

Juan’s background uniquely combines senior federal leadership roles with extensive public and private sector experience in land use, development, permitting, and finance. He advises on zoning, planning, building codes, and government incentives, drawing on his deep knowledge of federal, state, and municipal regulations. He is also a recognized authority on structuring complex public-private partnerships (P3s) involving transportation, energy, education, and real estate assets.

From 2017–2019, Juan served as Acting Head and Chief Counsel of the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and as Senior Advisor to the Build America Bureau. There, he managed a $3 billion budget and 950-member staff, guided major rail initiatives—including the $24 billion Northeast Corridor upgrade—and developed regulations for emerging technologies, such as the Hyperloop and high-speed rail. He further advised on federal funding programs, including TIFIA and RRIF loans, PABs, and INFRA and BUILD grants, and played a key role in advancing projects nationwide. Through this work, Juan has participated in multiple Congressional hearings and testified before Congress’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.