Commercial Real Estate Development Attorney
Supporting Development from the Ground Up
From acquiring the land to securing financing, managing approvals, and bringing in partners or investors, each phase of commercial development carries its own risks and legal requirements. At DPL, we work to protect our clients’ interests at every stage of development while keeping their projects on track.
Our firm regularly assists developers, investors, and property owners throughout New York and Connecticut with structuring and negotiating commercial real estate deals. Whether you’re looking to build something new, reposition a distressed asset, or navigate a complex joint venture, we help you handle the legal mechanics so you can focus on the project itself.
How Can We Help?
Approvals, Financing, and Property Acquisition
Title questions, zoning compliance, contract negotiations, and financing all play a part in getting a development off the ground. We help clients review and negotiate purchase agreements, navigate local approval processes, and structure acquisitions in ways that protect long-term goals. Often we deal with properties that have challenges or stressors These deals come with their own set of risks, including: title issues, environmental concerns, tenant disputes, or unpaid taxes. We help clients assess the real risks behind the opportunity and make informed decisions about how to proceed.
Financing is often layered. Projects may involve traditional bank lending, private capital, or a mix of both. We assist in reviewing term sheets, negotiating loan documents, and coordinating with developers, lenders, and investors to ensure that the terms of the deal are workable and legally sound. For clients working with multiple sources of capital, we help establish a framework to keep everything aligned.
Structuring Projects and Private Equity Participation
Large-scale development often requires bringing in partners, financial or otherwise. We have extensive experience drafting and negotiating complex, mult-tiered project operating agreements between developers and investors that articulate decision-making authority, distribution formulas, financing and construction timelines, capital contribution requirements, equity percentages, and exit strategies.
When private equity gets involved, we work closely with developers and sponsors to structure capital stacks and waterfall provisions that reflect each party’s contribution and anticipated return. Our goal is to create a structure that’s fair, enforceable, and built to withstand the unexpected.
Practical Legal Counsel for a Demanding Market
Commercial real estate is rarely simple. Timelines shift, deals evolve, and new challenges surface when you least expect them. At DPL, we provide legal advice that keeps pace, delivered with the clarity and responsiveness today’s real estate professionals need. We represent clients throughout Dutchess County, Putnam County, and Connecticut.