Redevelopment law has been at the forefront of real estate development in the past decade or so. Redevelopment can be a powerful tool to advance development in “blighted” areas of the state, which often means sections of the older, urban areas. However, redevelopment has become controversial in recent years because of a concern about the use of eminent domain to acquire private property for redevelopment by another private party. There has been a series of recent cases that have restricted the circumstances under which a redevelopment agency may condemn private property. This is a very important - - but rapidly changing - - area of real estate law.
Our partners have the knowledge and expertise to provide effective representation in this area of the law. We have broad experience in representing redevelopers in municipalities such as Jersey City, Bayonne, Lodi, Secaucus, Emerson, Irvington, West Orange, Montclair, and Englewood.
In the first instance, representation on a redevelopment project ordinarily involves assisting the client in responding to the request for a proposal and its designation as the redeveloper, negotiating a redevelopment agreement with the redevelopment agency, and working with the municipal planners in the preparation or amendment of the redevelopment plan (which serves as the zoning for the property). After the client is designated as redeveloper, we provide representation with respect to obtaining land use approvals, seeking a tax abatement for the redevelopment, and negotiating the terms of the financial agreement to implement the abatement.
We also have represented property owners objecting to the designation of their land as an area in need of redevelopment (blight) or in objecting to redevelopment approvals in municipalities such as Hoboken, Harrison, Carteret, and Upper Saddle River.
Our expertise in eminent domain law provides important background and support to our redevelopment law practice.
