Project Development, Land Use & Energy
Complete legal strategy for your complex development project.
Sections
overview
focus areas
depth of practice
team
insights
industries served
representative matters
testimonials
contact us
overview
focus areas
depth of practice
team
insights
industries served
representative matters
testimonials
contact us
Overview
Complex development projects require navigating a maze of regulations at the federal, state, and local levels. Our Project Development, Land Use & Energy team combines deep regulatory knowledge with strategic vision to help projects clear obstacles, manage risk, and stay on schedule in an increasingly complicated approval environment.
We partner with developers, businesses, and municipalities to move complex development, land use, and energy initiatives forward. Our multidisciplinary team supports projects through the full development lifecycle, including land use approvals, environmental review, permitting, financing, and regulatory compliance.
Our relationships with local and state regulatory bodies give us opportunities to collaborate and build support for projects. We prioritize listening to stakeholders, recognizing diverse viewpoints, and understanding community concerns to gain public support. When collaboration reaches its limits, we are prepared to litigate to protect project timelines and investments. We know when to work with regulatory agencies and when to resort to litigation, removing roadblocks efficiently to avoid financial exposure and time constraints.
Our experience comes from years of practice in project development law and extensive involvement in the construction industry. We advise clients on brownfield redevelopment, SEQRA and NEPA review, environmental compliance, and renewable energy development. Combining legal knowledge, strategic insight, and collaborative solutions, we guide clients through every phase of a project from concept through completion.
We Answer Your Project Development Questions
- What approvals are necessary for a development project in New York?
- What tax credits are available for brownfield redevelopment projects?
- How do I challenge a zoning board decision?
- What should I do if my project permit is denied?
- How do I obtain a special use permit?
- How do I navigate local opposition to my development project?
- What is involved in the SEQRA review process?
- How can I protect my project timeline from regulatory delays?
- When should I file an Article 78 proceeding?
Our Project Development, Land Use & Energy team provides the answers you need to navigate the regulatory landscape and move your project forward.
Focus Areas
Article 78 and Administrative Litigation
We have extensive experience litigating over land use, environmental, and administrative decisions. If you’ve received an adverse decision from a City, Town, Village, County, or New York State agency, contact us immediately to get the paperwork underway. Article 78 proceedings must be filed within as little as 30 days.
Brownfield Redevelopment
Working with the NYSDEC and other government agencies, we obtain necessary approvals so that clients can redevelop contaminated areas and obtain tax credits.
Contract Disputes
Contracts are a necessary part of nearly every business dealing. And at their core, they’re expectation managers. But when circumstances change, so do the minds of those involved. When that happens, we’ll be there to protect your best interests.
Land Use, Planning & Zoning
We represent clients before municipal boards to obtain necessary project approvals, such as use and area variances, special-use permits, rezoning, and site-plan and subdivision approval.
Regulatory Compliance, Permitting, SEQRA & NEPA
Our team provides counsel on the environmental review process to ensure compliance with specific procedural requirements, and also represents clients that are suing or being sued in actions alleging noncompliance.
Renewable Energy
Our team of attorneys in Renewable Energy collaborates seamlessly across various practices. We provide counsel on the viability, financing, structuring, and regulatory aspects of a diverse array of renewable energy projects.
Depth of Practice
Our depth of practice includes experience with:
- SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) and NEPA (National Environmental Protection Act) environmental impact reviews for large-scale development projects, including integration of SEQRA EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) process with NEPA oversight.
- Extensive experience in brownfield redevelopment, including coordination with NYSDEC and other government agencies to obtain necessary approvals and tax credits.
- Challenging decisions made by municipal and state agencies, including SEQRA decisions, zoning board rulings, and agency permit denials through Article 78 proceedings.
- Advising architects and construction management companies on complex revitalization projects.
- Real property transactional due diligence for development projects, including environmental risk assessment.
- Developing redevelopment strategies that leverage the SEQRA process to facilitate future development of large sites.
- Comprehensive counsel for renewable energy projects, including application and permit review process and proactive risk assessment, with a focus on environmental stewardship.
Team
Barone-J
John
Barone
Partner
Albany, NY
Demarest-W
William
Demarest III
Partner
Albany, NY
Kernochan-G
George E.
Kernochan III
Associate
Saratoga Springs, NY
Kolaga-J
John
Kolaga
Partner
Buffalo, NY
Lisko-C
Carlyn
Lisko
Associate
Buffalo, NY
Oswald-P
Phillip
Oswald
Partner
Saratoga Springs, NY
Poulopoulos-M
Michael R.
Poulopoulos
Associate
Albany, NY
Romanowski-M
Marc
Romanowski
Partner
Buffalo, NY
Industries Served
Related Practice Areas
Environmental
Real Estate
Construction Law
Environmental Planning & Sustainability
Land Conservation
Representative Matters
- Led the Environmental Impact Statement and Entitlement Process for the development of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, including the Gates Vascular Institute, Women and Children’s Hospital, Conventus Medical Office Building, HighPointe on Michigan Healthcare Facility, and two car parking garages servicing the campus.
- Led a team on brownfield redevelopment of The Rails on Main, a former planting facility transformed into 312 apartments in the Buffalo University District. Work included coordinating contractors and working with regulatory agencies to facilitate this private development.
- Led the Elmwood Crossing Project, which involved redeveloping the 8-acre site of the former Women and Children’s Hospital in Buffalo.
Testimonials
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