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Land Use Approvals

The firm’s attorneys serve as a single, strategic point of contact for clients navigating New Jersey’s land use approval process throughout the entire approval lifecycle, from initial consultation through final resolution.  They represent clients before local, county, and state administrative and regulatory agencies, including municipal and regional planning boards and zoning boards of adjustment, and are highly skilled at addressing the complex, and often adversarial issues associated with securing approvals for new developments and the renovation or adaptive reuse of existing properties.

The team’s expertise encompasses advising on project design and strategy to minimize potential opposition, and representation in applications for the approval of site plans and subdivisions, conditional use permits, and bulk and use variances, and extends to related environmental and regulatory matters encompassing state and federal compliance and enforcement. We coordinate all aspects of the application process, including the submission of expert reports from engineers, architects, and planners, and compliance with statutory notice requirements and deadlines.

Throughout the years, Greenbaum has represented clients in appearances before boards throughout New Jersey and in hundreds of municipalities. Our land use attorneys are widely recognized as knowledgeable professionals and strong advocates for our clients in zoning, condemnation and other land use-related litigation in state and federal courts, and in prerogative writ actions, appeals of unfavorable land use decisions and defense of approvals

Representative Matters

  • 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 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 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 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 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • Counseled Amazon 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. 
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.  
  • 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. 
  • 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 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. 
  • Represented 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.
  • 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.

Of Interest