Adaptive Reuse of Vacant Office Buildings
December 01, 2023
While transforming existing buildings for alternative purposes is not a new concept, this article seeks to explore the feasibility of alternative repurposing options with a focus on pre-existing office buildings; namely, converting vacant office space into vertical farms or cannabis growth operations.
Is A Real Estate Instrument Filing Fee An Unauthorized Tax?
December 01, 2023
Local governments have significant leeway to charge fees for services they provide their residents. But fee revenue sources can be attractive options for those local governments needing to fill budget gaps without raising taxes.
PA Court Rules Against Property Owners Alleging Impermissible Spot Zoning
December 01, 2023
In a recently published opinion, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court rejected an appeal brought by neighboring property owners alleging that a local ordinance constituted impermissible spot zoning. In its analysis, the Commonwealth Court emphasized the heavy burden a challenger must meet to overcome the presumptive validity of a zoning ordinance.
NYC Local Law 18 On Short-Term Rentals Takes Effect
November 01, 2023
New York City's Short-Term Rental Registration Law (Local Law 18), which directly impacts the ability of an individual unit owner to rent his or her apartment on a short-term basis, took effect on Sept. 5, 2023.
Evaluating Commercial Leases Post-'Rohrmoos'
November 01, 2023
Rohrmoos should encourage lawyers drafting leases, and those in lease disputes, to account for some new practical considerations. The drafting attorney should — if they are not already — include a clause in the lease expressly stating the parties' covenants are independent from one another.
Are Law Firms' Real Estate and Tech Spending Invariably at Odds?
November 01, 2023
But in place of the common assumption from the COVID years that real estate and technology spending were inversely related, it's becoming increasingly clear that the two line items — which trail only talent on the overall cost hierarchy — have a more complex relationship.
2024 Could Mark a Turning Point for Office Sector
November 01, 2023
The drumbeat of bad news from the office sector has been so pervasive over the past years that it has almost become a fact of life. But a new report suggests that 2024 could mark a turning point — with the possibility in a few years that demand for office space will exceed supply.