Land Use & Zoning

Representing Toll Brothers in connection with the zoning analysis of various New York City properties and development sites.

Represented an affiliate of the Community Preservation Corporation in the development of the 11.5-acre waterfront complex in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, that was formerly home to Domino Sugar. We advised on the site's rezoning, which resulted in one of the largest residential redevelopment projects in the city. We collaborated with Mayor Bloomberg's office, community leaders, and city and state departments and agencies on the design and development, and obtained approvals from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, the New York City Planning Commission, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Represented an affiliate of Escorial in the redevelopment of a former parking garage in Prospect Heights into residential condominiums, including counsel on land acquisition, unused development rights, 421-a certificates, design and construction agreements and the condominium approval process.

Represented a Beijing-based developer in the acquisition and financing of a gas station on Manhattan's west side. The developer intends to create a mixed-use building that will include residential condominiums and ground floor retail space.

Advised Deutsche Bank in land use and zoning matters in connection with a $220 million completion financing loan for a condomininium conversion project in the Theater District.

Land use counsel to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in the development of the new World Trade Center complex.

Represent a major professional sports team with respect to its zoning and land use matters.

Represented the KRE Group in the assemblage of a development site including 281 Fifth Avenue, and the sale of the assemblage to Victor Nomad LLC. The deal included an adjacent air parcel with additional development rights and inclusionary housing certificates.

Represented the owner of a Greenpoint, Brooklyn waterfront property in a successful New York State Siting Board case against Transgas Energy's proposed waterfront power generating facility.

Represented Youngwoo & Associates LLC in developing a 16-story condominium in New York's West Chelsea neighborhood. The building is designed to be an art gallery, and our work included an air rights acquisition and construction loan financing.

Represented the owners of a former bank branch in their attempts to lease the interior landmark space to a major national drugstore chain. We worked with the chain and its architects in adjusting its national store design guidelines to meet with standards set by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Represented Steiner NYC in connection with the zoning and land use analysis of various New York City development sites, including the site of a 52-story residential rental tower in Downtown Brooklyn.

Advised Toll Brothers City Living, the urban development division of Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE: TOL), in its joint venture with Starwood Capital Group to develop a 550,000-sq.-ft. luxury hotel and residential complex at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Represented Verizon Wireless in the company's successful appeal of a New Jersey township's denial of a variance allowing for the construction of a 140-foot cell tower. The victory followed a more than seven year effort to obtain approval for the project which aimed to provide service in a "dead zone" affecting the Princeton area. In a unanimous decision, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division reversed a lower court's ruling, agreed with our argument that the township's zoning board had acted improperly and ordered the board to reconsider the application.