Patrick T. Conlon

Patrick T. Conlon is a key member of the firm’s Commercial Real Estate Department and has broad experience across all aspects of commercial real estate, including development approvals and transactions. Patrick routinely assists developer clients with land-use and redevelopment approvals, property purchases and sales, office and commercial leasing, property tax appeals, tax abatements, and liquor license issues.

Patrick guides developers through all aspects of New Jersey land use, with substantial experience in Hudson, Essex, and Morris Counties. He has prepared and presented hundreds of site plans and subdivision applications before Planning Boards, Zoning Boards of Adjustment, Historic Preservation Commissions, and affordable housing divisions. He has particularly relevant experience in Jersey City, Bayonne, and Hoboken, but has broad experience across a wide range of New Jersey land use regulations and approvals, including redevelopment under the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law and the Long Term Tax Exemption Law, preparation of redevelopment plans, redevelopment agreements, and financial agreements (PILOTs). He is fluent in coastal and wetlands regulations, the Pinelands Protection Commission, and the Department of Environmental Protection. He has negotiated with municipal officials for tax abatements and has deep experience with rent control regulation and exemptions.

Patrick’s experience has led to many successes for his clients, including dozens of high-rise mixed-use and multi-family approvals, an undefeated record defending appeals of land use approvals in actions in lieu of prerogative writ, and helping a client successfully challenge the applicability of rent control regulations to over 100 residential units.

Drawing on a nuanced understanding of zoning, planning, and historic preservation principles, together with his relationships with local officials, Patrick advocates for clients in all aspects of commercial real estate ownership and development.

A significant part of Patrick’s practice involves representing purchasers, sellers, borrowers, and lenders in sophisticated real estate transactions, including purchase and sale agreements, acquisition and disposition of portfolios of properties, joint venture agreements, leases, and loans across all asset classes. In particular, clients turn to Patrick for assistance with development-adjacent transactions, public-private partnership projects, and public financing for affordable housing and redevelopment (e.g., low-income housing tax credits, COAH, Aspire tax credits, and HUD financing).

Developers have come to rely on Patrick’s experience, relationships, and expertise for any legal issues that arise in the purchase, development, financing, operation, and disposition of commercial real estate in New Jersey.

Patrick also serves as Town Attorney for the Town of Guttenberg and is the primary point of contact for the Town’s legal needs. This has involved a broad range of matters, including drafting the Town’s ordinance permitting cannabis dispensaries; administering the application process; representing the Town in liquor license applications and disciplinary hearings; and negotiating and drafting developers’ agreements, tax abatements, and leases.