Redevelopment, Land Use & Zoning

Representative Matters

• Provided real estate and land use support in the firm’s successful representation of Des Champs Laboratories, in which the New Jersey Appellate Division struck down an unauthorized NJDEP regulation that would have significantly expanded cleanup obligations under the ISRA.  
• A multidisciplinary team served as real estate, land use, and public finance counsel to a private equity firm in its acquisition of the iPort 12 International Trade and Logistics Center in Carteret, a 1.26-million square foot logistics facility on a former brownfield and landfill site. The firm’s representation included complex title and access issues, assumption and amendment of public financing secured by PILOT agreements, negotiations with multiple public entities, and coordination of a lender short sale tied to prior environmental remediation financing. 
• Representing the principals in the planning and development of a proposed AI data center and on-site energy generation facility in Gloucester County, providing regulatory, land use, environmental, and energy law counsel, and securing local, state, and utility approvals and permits for a large-scale, infrastructure-intensive development project. 
• Represented two New Jersey municipalities in the resolution of affordable housing litigation, securing court-approved settlements addressing fair-share obligations and compliance requirements. 
• Provided counsel to Special Improvement Districts throughout New Jersey, including those located in Newark (both Downtown District and Ironbound), Teaneck, Bayonne, Atlantic City, Westfield, Keyport, Collingswood, Jersey City (both Central Avenue and McGinley Square), Haddon Township, Bergenfield, Gloucester City, Teaneck, the Highlands, West Orange, Red Bank, Bound Brook, Seaside Heights, Ocean City, Summit, Rahway, Montclair, Bunker Hill, Hackensack, Freehold, Spring Lake, Boonton, Toms River, Washington, Pompton Lakes, Newton, Cranford, North Wildwood, Wildwood, Millburn, Gloucester City, Hackettstown, Livingston and Springfield. 
• Serving as Special counsel for redevelopment to municipalities throughout New Jersey, including Morristown, Woodbridge, Princeton, Westfield, Millville, Netcong, North Wildwood, Park Ridge, Robbinsville, Chatham Borough, Belmar, and Harding.  
• Serving as Special counsel for redevelopment projects throughout New Jersey, including those located in Woodbridge, Rahway, South Amboy, Jersey City, Morristown, South Bound Brook, Matawan, Dover, Wildwood, Stanhope, Linden, Netcong, Phillipsburg, Trenton, Aberdeen, East Brunswick, West Orange, Bloomfield, Hoboken, Newark, Pompton Lakes, South Orange, Linden and Cranford.  
• Representing a major property owner in negotiations with the City of Hoboken for a $500+ million transit-oriented redevelopment, including planning, public benefits structuring, and anticipated redevelopment and financial agreements for a premier site adjacent to NJ Transit, PATH, and ferry terminals. 
• Served as long-standing redevelopment counsel in Morristown, advising the Morristown Parking Authority for over four decades and leading legal strategy for more than $400 million in downtown redevelopment, including the $100 million Headquarters Plaza project and the $300+ million Epstein mixed-use redevelopment portfolio. 
• Represented the City of Millville in establishing New Jersey’s first Revenue Allocation District, laying the groundwork for modern tax-increment financing and serving as a model for future economic redevelopment initiatives statewide. 
• Advising the prospective developer of an iconic building in downtown Trenton, including creating a redevelopment plan to preserve the building’s historic façade and the negotiation of a PILOT agreement. 
• Represented Thorlabs, Inc. in negotiating redevelopment and financial agreements for the transformation of a brownfield site in Newton into a $25 million corporate headquarters and advanced manufacturing facility. 
• Represented Matzel & Mumford in the redevelopment of the former GAF manufacturing site in South Bound Brook into Canal Crossing, a 152-unit townhome community. 
• Served as counsel to the Morristown Partnership, a Special Improvement District established in Morristown, NJ in 1994. 
• Served as Special Counsel to the City of Long Branch with respect to the oceanfront developments of Pier Village and Beachfront North.
• Represented KHovnanian Homes in the redevelopment of The Villages at Delaware Run in Trenton and the site of the former Essex County Psychiatric Hospital in Cedar Grove, NJ. 
• Representing The Ramani Group and its affiliates in the phased redevelopment of a $500 million, 1,300-unit mixed-use residential and retail project in Plainfield, including multi-site acquisitions, redevelopment agreements, planning approvals, and complex financing. The firm’s work includes securing $26 million in permanent financing, structuring a $60 million construction loan for Phase II, and advising on entity restructuring to satisfy lender collateral requirements. 
• Successfully represented the Islamic Center of Passaic County in securing municipal and county approvals for a $25 million, community center in Paterson and the expansion of its mosque in Clifton, prevailing before the Clifton Planning Board following protracted hearings and testimony and overcoming significant neighborhood opposition.
• Represented the owner of an aging and dilapidated motel in Woodbridge in the redevelopment of the property into a multifamily community with an affordable housing component. The representation included negotiating redevelopment and financial agreements with tax abatements, construction and bridge financing, and affordable housing compliance, including a novel municipal arrangement and a rent control exemption for market-rate units. In the final phase of the project, the team advised on permanent financing collateralized for securitization, enabling the client to retain its existing corporate structure and achieve substantial cost savings. 
• Represented a corporation in the sale of a former chemical manufacturing facility burdened by zoning restrictions and environmental contamination, negotiating seller financing, price adjustments, and post-closing remediation agreements to facilitate a $10 million transaction after multiple prior failed sales. 
• Representing an affiliated entity of a full-service real estate development, construction, and property management firm in a $50 million mixed-use development in South Orange, securing amended site plan and parking approvals for commercial tenants through streamlined hearings before a highly regulated municipal planning board. 
• Representing The Ramani Group’s single purpose entity in the redevelopment of a blighted commercial property into a 23-unit multifamily project, including acquisition, redevelopment and financial agreements with tax abatements, environmental and easement negotiations, zoning approvals, and construction financing. 
• Represent The Lions Group, a family-owned real estate development, construction and property management firm, in connection with its transformational redevelopment project at Journal Square in Jersey City, projected to contain 360 residential units over 34 stories, retail space and a public thoroughfare to the Journal Square train station. Our representation includes preparation of applications to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for up to $90 million in tax credits under the Aspire Program and more than $13 million dollars more in Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. The firm's work further involves environmental remediation oversight, residential master lease preparation, financing for approximately $300 million dollars with one of the largest financial institutions in the world and preparation of condominium formation documents. 
• Represents a real estate and emerging technology investment firm in connection with its 100% affordable housing known as Rowan Towers in Trenton, which will substantially renovate and modernize the 195 units on the property. Our representation includes preparation of applications to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for up to $90 million in tax credits under the Aspire Program and more than $30 million dollars in Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. The project will include a community room, library, remodeled exterior and a social services coordinator, among other features. 
• Representing the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Perth Amboy in connection with the redevelopment of its former community center into a multi-use facility comprised of a new community center, senior housing dwellings, a new chapel and priests' offices. This engagement includes counseling with respect to the redevelopment area designation, preparation and negotiation of a redevelopment agreement, and the procurement of all necessary local approvals including preliminary and final site plan approval from the Perth Amboy Planning Board. 
• The firm represents the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) as redevelopment counsel in sourcing development partners and negotiating joint venture and development agreements for historic rehabilitation and residential redevelopment projects exceeding $150 million. 
• Represented Soojian Brothers Construction, a family-owned general contracting firm specializing in commercial projects, related to its redevelopment of a blighted former gas station in Pompton Lakes into a 23-unit mixed-income multifamily project. Our work included the negotiation of amendments to an existing redevelopment plan, a redevelopment agreement, a tax exemption/financial agreement, and an off-site parking license agreement, as well as the difficult negotiation of easements with a neighboring property owner and the County of Passaic. 
• Obtained preliminary and final site plan and subdivision approval with variance and waiver relief from the Township of Woodbridge for a large mixed-use project consisting of 376 apartment units in five buildings, two retail/restaurant buildings, clubhouse featuring a pool and other amenities, approximately 800 parking spaces, and ancillary site improvements. 
• Representing a commercial property owner in litigation and administrative proceedings challenging approvals for a $400 million mixed-use waterfront development in Edgewater, including prerogative writ actions, appellate proceedings, and defense of related retaliation claims. 
• Represented the redeveloper of a multi-million-dollar mixed-use project in Linden comprised of 113 market-rate residential dwellings and over 16,000 square feet of retail space. Counsel included the preparation and negotiation of the redevelopment agreement and PILOT agreement, as well as coordination of the acquisition of private properties through agreement or condemnation by the City of Linden. 
• Played a significant role in the redevelopment of a blighted unoccupied office building in downtown Linden into the new headquarters of an expanding regional laboratory. Representation included the negotiation and execution of an amended redevelopment agreement, financial agreement for a 5-year tax abatement, adoption of related municipal resolutions and ordinances, and assistance in obtaining preliminary and final site plan review approval from the Linden Planning Board.
• Representing a full-service, privately held commercial and residential real estate development and investment company in redevelopment and land use matters throughout New Jersey, including securing approvals for residential and mixed-use projects and advising on developments valued at approximately $20 million. 
• Representing Park Street Land Development LLC in multiple redevelopment projects across New Jersey, including negotiation of redevelopment and PILOT agreements and securing approvals for projects ranging from $10 million to $35 million.  
• Representing a family-owned industrial production and supply chain company and affiliated trusts and estate in connection with a proposed $32 million sale and leaseback of a 160,000 square foot warehouse, construction of a 90,000 square foot flex facility, zoning and land use approvals, ISRA compliance, tax planning, and corporate reorganizations.
• Representing New Jersey’s first “homegrown” film and television production company in connection with a $1 billion multi-year film and television studio development in New Jersey, serving as general corporate counsel for entity formation, financings, redevelopment and energy coordination, contract negotiations, and applications for New Jersey Economic Development Authority tax credit programs, including Aspire tax incentives.
• Represented a New York based full-service real estate firm and its affiliates, with holdings throughout the country, in the redevelopment and approval of a $75 million portfolio of industrial outdoor storage properties in Delanco, successfully challenging restrictive zoning through litigation, securing adoption of a redevelopment plan, and obtaining municipal approvals enabling implementation of the client’s business model. The buildings totaled more than one million square feet leased to more than 80 tenants.  
• Counseled an international Fortune 500 retailer on large-scale retail and commercial developments totaling millions of square feet across multiple locations, advising on redevelopment approvals, PILOT agreements, environmental remediation, land use and zoning, construction permitting, and leasing matters.  
• Advised on a joint venture between developer Jonathan Rose Companies and JP Morgan Chase on a mixed-use redevelopment project in South Orange, including title matters, redevelopment implementation, and negotiation of a $38.5 million construction loan. The high-profile project, a 215-unit LEED certified apartment building, retail space and a 500+ space parking facility, represented a significant milestone in the revitalization of the municipality’s downtown.
• Represented an affiliate of a multi-generational family-owned real estate firm in the development and $83 million sale of two Class A multifamily buildings in Rahway, securing land use approvals, negotiating redevelopment and financial agreements, advising on environmental remediation, and managing complex regulatory, title, and permitting issues through closing.
• Represented a national real estate company on environmental aspects of property acquisition and redevelopment, including negotiations with redevelopment agencies, for a major, multi-parcel mixed-use redevelopment project in Jersey City involving complex remediation and land use considerations.
• Serves as environmental and land use counsel to the owners of a substantial portfolio of commercial and industrial properties in New Jersey and surrounding areas. We are advising on environmental compliance, leasing and transactional issues involving regulated materials, and environmental litigation affecting property operations and redevelopment. 
• Advising a private developer on a $10 million workforce-housing residential redevelopment in the City of Plainfield, including structuring and negotiating a redevelopment agreement and securing a PILOT agreement with the municipality. This matter also involved representing the client before the local planning board to obtain preliminary and final major site plan approval with variance relief to enable construction of the 36-unit project. 
• Serving as Special Redevelopment Counsel to a South Jersey municipality related to the proposed $294+ million redevelopment of a former port and rail terminal into a major energy-storage and logistics facility. The firm’s role includes advising on redevelopment and financial agreements with the redeveloper and providing counsel on regulatory issues and public-engagement strategy for a large-scale cryogenic storage and infrastructure project with regional economic and environmental implications. 
• Representing a leading real estate owner/operator on the $163 million acquisition of a multi-parcel, mixed-use redevelopment in Wood-Ridge with more than 400 residential units and retail space. The team’s efforts enabled the assumption of existing redevelopment agreements and multiple PILOT agreements, addressed affordable housing compliance and condominium ownership issues, and cleared municipal approvals critical to completing the acquisition and advancing the project. 
• Representing the Township of Harding on an $80 million mixed-use affordable housing and senior-living redevelopment and the $20+ million restoration of the historic Glen Alpin property, utilizing the provisions of New Jersey redevelopment law to satisfy the Township’s affordable housing obligations while preserving the landmark site. The engagement has included the negotiation of redevelopment and financial agreements, the resolution of Green Acres restrictions, securing municipal ownership of the property, and advancing a financially viable plan that integrates affordable housing, senior living, historic restoration, and long-term public access. 
• As part of the firm’s ongoing representation of Hartz Mountain Industries in various matters throughout the years, assisted this leading national real estate developer on land use approvals for a $500+ million master-planned project in Roxbury Township, encompassing nearly 2.5 million square feet of industrial development, residential units, public amenities, infrastructure improvements, and dedication of over 400 acres of open space. 
• Serving as redevelopment counsel to the Town of Westfield on multiple major initiatives, including the $500+ million transformation of its downtown core, advising on redevelopment agreements, land disposition, public improvements, financial agreements, bond-financed infrastructure, and public-private partnerships across several concurrent projects. 
• Represented Capodagli Property Company as the developer of numerous large-scale redevelopment matters and in land use litigation throughout New Jersey. Our representation has included $40 million lost-profit litigation in Toms River, securing redevelopment approvals in Rahway, and builders-remedy and redevelopment litigation in multiple municipalities, involving projects exceeding $300 million in aggregate value.  
• Representing Monmouth University in campus-wide land use and redevelopment matters, including securing approvals for the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music and advising on student housing, athletic, academic, and infrastructure expansions exceeding $20 million. 
• Serving as Special Redevelopment and Affordable Housing Counsel to the Municipality of Princeton on the redevelopment of the Princeton Seminary property, which includes the acquisition of more than six acres through eminent domain for $42 million, and planning for multiple affordable housing projects totaling more than $185 million.
• Representing a privately held commercial and residential real estate investment and development company in redevelopment and land use matters throughout New Jersey, including securing approvals for residential and mixed-use projects and advising on developments valued at approximately $20 million. 
• Representing a New York-based scaffolding contractor in the development of a $5 million manufacturing and office facility in Branchburg, including negotiation of municipal settlement agreements resolving neighboring objections. 
• Assisted a New Jersey teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in securing local and county approvals for expansion of its Critical Decision Unit facility.  
• Advised a public research university on a complex PPP for an eight-story, 271,000 square foot student housing development with 176 dormitory units, parking, retail, and amenities. Structured ground-lease and leaseback arrangements and negotiated bond-financed construction through the Essex County Improvement Authority. 
• Represented a leading real estate industry group in the development of its new headquarters, negotiating a redevelopment agreement with a local improvement authority and advising on land use approvals, tax incentives, environmental remediation, construction contracts, and site acquisition. 
• On behalf of a commercial property owner, negotiated a land exchange with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, securing easements, temporary construction access, infrastructure improvements, and mortgage lien releases to preserve ongoing business operations. 
• Represented the owner in the $9.4 million sale of catering and motel properties for redevelopment into a 198-unit multifamily residential project, including negotiation of affordable housing components, coordination with municipal officials and the New Jersey Fair Share Housing Center, and resolution of zoning and fair-share litigation issues to position the project for redevelopment approvals and closing. 
• Represented the seller of a former trucking terminal sold for redevelopment into a self-storage facility, allocating liability for underground storage tank removal, securing environmental insurance, coordinating redevelopment approvals, and mitigating legacy environmental risk. 
• Represented the owner of four office buildings, two of which were sold to a redeveloper and were subsequently demolished for construction of a 450-unit apartment complex. A third building was sold to a third party who continued to operate the building for office purposes, while a fourth was transferred to the municipality (for no consideration) to be used as a library. We negotiated a redevelopment agreement between the owner, the redeveloper and the municipality that included the purchase of redevelopment area bonds from the municipality to facilitate the construction of the apartment complex. 
• Advising a California-based national logistics and e-commerce real estate developer on environmental, land use, real estate, and insurance matters related to large-scale redevelopment projects in New Jersey, including the conversion of a former fossil-fuel power generation facility into a major distribution and logistics campus involving complex remediation, redevelopment, financing, and regulatory issues. 

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