Redevelopment

Spiro Harrison & Nelson attorneys have more than 20 years of experience working on some of the most significant redevelopment projects in the State of New Jersey on behalf of the State’s largest government entities, institutions and redevelopers.

These projects include, but are not limited to the development of both public and privately financed multi-family housing, affordable housing, warehouses, retail pads, student housing, public safety facilities, hospitals and associated medical facilities, parking garages, marinas, and municipal complexes. Many of these projects include public-private partnership arrangements entered under the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law.

Spiro Harrison & Nelson attorneys are well versed in addressing matters presented under the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, the Long Term Tax Exemption Law, the Five Year Exemption & Abatement Law, the Eminent Domain Act, the New Jersey Relocation Assistance Law, the Fair Housing Act, the County Improvement Authorities Law, the State Planning Act, and the Municipal Land Use Law.

The firm’s attorneys have helped develop and negotiate hundreds of agreements associated with a wide variety of redevelopment projects, including Redevelopment Plans, Redevelopment Agreements, Affordable Housing Agreements, Purchase and Sale Agreements, Sale/Leasebacks, Financial Agreements, Ground Leases and Easements.

Spiro Harrison & Nelson attorneys have successfully defended dozens of Redevelopment and Rehabilitation designations, Redevelopment Plans, condemnations and Redevelopment Agreements in trial and appellate courts.

The following matters are illustrative of the redevelopment projects that Spiro Harrison & Nelson attorneys have recently been engaged in.

• Represented the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency in relation to more than 40 redevelopment projects negotiating and drafting redevelopment and purchase and sale agreements for everything from multi-family housing, industrial sites and public-private partnerships for public facilities. Many of these representations also include condemnations to help complete assemblages for larger projects.
• Represented the City of Hackensack in relation to more than 40 redevelopment projects. This includes work in relation to the initial redevelopment investigations, designations, negotiation and drafting of all redevelopment, financial or other agreements required for the projects, condemnations, property transactions, and providing counsel to the governing body, which serves as its own redevelopment entity under the law. We have successfully defended Hackensack’s redevelopment plans and projects on numerous occasions at both the trial and appellate levels.
• Represented the City of Newark in relation to five public-private partnership projects totaling nearly $300 million for multiple City facilities and two affordable housing projects within four different redevelopment areas. This representation includes the negotiation of all redevelopment agreements and other more complex instruments relating to the conveyance of property and capital sale leaseback arrangements for the redevelopment of the same. In addition, our firm represents Newark in relation to its acquisition and associated transactions relating to the Mulberry Commons Pedestrian Bridge as part of a $110 million project connecting downtown Newark, the Prudential Center, Newark Penn Station and the Ironbound neighborhood.
• Represented the Township of Middletown in numerous large redevelopment matters, including the redevelopment of its $56 million municipal complex and associated facilities through public-private partnership established through a capital sale leaseback arrangement established under the Redevelopment Law. Successfully obtained dismissal of complaint challenging Middletown’s adoption of redevelopment plan to facilitate construction of 120,000 square foot fitness/wellness center and preserved complete defense victory through appeal. Successfully obtained summary judgment dismissing challenge to Middletown’s designation of area in need of redevelopment following ten years of litigation and community opposition. Represent Middletown in relation to redevelopment of hundreds of thousands of square feet of substantially vacant office structures into a new mixed-use community, as well as in relation to the redevelopment of the Port of Belford and an associated solar project.
• Represented the Borough of Tinton Falls in the re-designation of an area in longstanding need of redevelopment, which had deteriorated with the closure of Fort Monmouth. Our attorneys coordinated the formation of a new redevelopment plan along with the negotiation of the redevelopment agreements and long-term tax exemptions for various sites on the former Fort property, including one of the largest newly constructed medical campuses to be built in the State of New Jersey.
• Represented the Borough of Seaside Heights in relation to the redevelopment of multiple former bar and motel sites into mixed use residential communities that are for sale and rent. This includes work in relation to the initial redevelopment investigations, designations, negotiation and drafting of all redevelopment, financial or other agreements required for the projects, condemnations, property transactions, and providing counsel to the governing body, which serves as its own redevelopment entity under the law.
• Represented the Township of Toms River in relation to redevelopment projects within the Hooper-Caudina Redevelopment Plan Area including the US Department of Veterans Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic and adjacent commercial projects, which required the formation and negotiation of redevelopment plans, redevelopment agreements, purchase and sale agreements, and financial agreements under the Long-Term Tax Exemption Law.
• Represented the Borough of Kenilworth in relation to the redevelopment of the former 106-acre Merck/Schering Plough campus.
• Represented the Borough of Point Pleasant Beach in relation to Channel Drive Redevelopment Area and downtown rehabilitation area, and matters relating to NJ Transit.
• Represented a private redeveloper on the first redevelopment project ever successfully undertaken in the Borough of Keyport for the construction of townhomes near the waterfront where prior projects have failed for more than a decade. Working off a prior rehabilitation designation, we secured approval of a viable redevelopment plan, negotiated a redevelopment agreement and secured final site plan approval.
• Represented private redeveloper developing academic and student housing facilities for a public university under the Redevelopment Law including the negotiation and drafting of long-term ground leases, redevelopment and finance agreements.
• Represented private developer in securing approval of redevelopment designation, redevelopment plan, redevelopment agreement and final site plan approval in the Borough of Red Bank. This was the first project ever approved through the redevelopment process in Red Bank, allowing for development of a long stalled 35-unit apartment building that had been denied zoning approval.
• Represented private redeveloper in securing approvals for 200+ unit office-to-inclusionary apartment conversion in area in need of rehabilitation in the Borough of Red Bank.
• Represented private developer in securing approval of redevelopment plan, redevelopment agreement, securing of formerly publicly owned properties to complete necessary lot assemblage, and secured a 10-year long-term tax exemption agreement in Long Branch for 48-unit high rise condominium project on the ocean front.
• Represented private redeveloper in successfully securing a redevelopment plan and agreement on property in Medford as part of fair share housing settlement.
• Represented private redeveloper in redevelopment of longstanding derelict marina property in the Borough of Highlands.