James C. McCann

James McCann’s practice encompasses the areas of acquisition, sale and development of real property, land use, redevelopment law, tax abatements, condominium and planned real estate development law, and alcoholic beverage licensing, transfers and regulatory compliance.

Jim has been a real estate practitioner in Jersey City for over 25 years, handling complex land use and permitting matters. He has extensive experience in the representation of developers before municipalities, redevelopment agencies and planning boards in redevelopment areas established under New Jersey’s Local Redevelopment and Housing Law. He focuses on the negotiation of tax abatement agreements with municipalities under New Jersey’s Long Term Tax Exemption Law and other tax abatement statutes. Jim has assisted in the drafting of numerous redevelopment plans and, through his representation of the development community, has influenced redevelopment and tax abatement policy in Jersey City.

His experience extends to the representation of developers in the New Jersey Superior Court, Law Division, Chancery Division and Appellate Division on litigated approvals under the Municipal Land Use Law, Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, and New Jersey’s Long Term Tax Exemption Law. Jim has prepared and registered numerous applications for registration of public offering statements with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs for mixed-use and high-rise condominium buildings. He has substantial experience representing developers and restaurateurs in alcoholic beverage licensing, liquor license transfers and regulatory compliance.

Representative clients range from large nationally known development companies to regional and small real estate developers, many of whom have developed notable projects contributing to Jersey City’s real estate renaissance.

Jim has lectured for the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education and the New Jersey State Bar Association on the Long Term Tax Exemption Law and the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law. 

Representative Experience
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

• General development counsel to the Lefrak Organization in connection with “Newport,” a 600-acre master planned, mixed-use community located on the Hudson River waterfront in Jersey City, New Jersey, currently consisting of 10 high-rise rental apartment buildings, three high-rise condominium buildings, eight high-rise office towers, two hotels, and thousands of square feet of retail, office and entertainment facilities.
• General development counsel to Toll Bros, Inc. in connection with 10 Provost Square, a planned high-rise mixed-use condominium with up to 900 residential units, 50,000 square feet of retail space and a performing arts center in Jersey City’s Powerhouse Arts Redevelopment District.
• Land use counsel to The KRE Group in connection with Journal Squared — a mixed use project containing retail space with 1,800 residential units in three towers ranging in height from 54 stories to 70 stories in the Journal Redevelopment Plan Area.  
• General development counsel for “Liberty Harbor,” an 80-acre master planned mixed-use community in Jersey City currently consisting of residential town home-style and high-rise condominiums, luxury rental units in three high-rise buildings, with retail, office and entertainment facilities.
• General development counsel to Fisher Development Associates, LLC in connection with Park Avenue, a mixed use project containing retail space with 900 residential units in two 45-story towers in the Liberty Harbor North Redevelopment Plan Area.  
• General development counsel to Fields Development Company in connection with the development of 197-207 Van Vorst Street, a mixed-use rental complex in two 15-story towers with 663 units in the Tidelands Basin Redevelopment Area.
• Tax abatement counsel to Forest City Residential Group in connection with a mixed-use master condominium project containing 853 residential units including 172 affordable housing units in two 36-story towers located in the Harsimus Cove Station Redevelopment Plan Area with redevelopment area bond financing.
• Counsel to numerous developers and restaurateurs including Mack-Cali Realty Corp. and the Lefrak Organization in connection with the acquisition, ownership and conveyance of New Jersey liquor licenses.

Professional and Community Affiliations

• New Jersey State Bar Association
• Hudson County Bar Association

Best Lawyers in America (2018-2025)

• Land Use and Zoning Law
• Real Estate Law

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