Environment & Land Use

Environment & Land Use

Experience

  • Stradley Ronon Team Secures High-Profile Win for PhilaPort in Port Construction Case

    Stradley Ronon has obtained a sweeping victory on behalf of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PhilaPort) in a highly contested matter over the proposal of a new port on the Delaware River.

    In Philadelphia Regional Port Authority v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, PhilaPort alleged that Diamond State Port Corp.’s construction of a port in Edgemoor, Delaware, would divert shipping from Philadelphia to Delaware and that the permitting process led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) failed to meet the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act, among other claims.

    In a published opinion on October 28 that adopted most all of the port authority’s positions, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania vacated various underlying permits and authorization issued by the Army Corps. Significantly, the court noted that Diamond State never sought a statement of no opinion from PhilaPort, the first step in the permitting process.

    The court ordered the Army Corps to reevaluate the project, effectively restarting the permitting process. This win for PhilaPort is the result of our team’s vigorous representation and will have a significant impact on the long-term shipping business in the Philadelphia region.

    Andrew S. Levine, Michael J. Engle and Joelle E. Polesky

  • HRP Breaks Ground on First Phase of The Bellwether District

    Stradley Ronon joined client Hilco Redevelopment Partners (HRP), elected officials, and business and community leaders at the groundbreaking for the first phase of The Bellwether District in South Philadelphia. HRP is converting the 1,300-acre former Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery into a 14-million-square-foot, state-of-the-art campus dedicated to innovation, e-commerce and logistics. The demolition of the refinery resulted in a 16 percent reduction in emissions in Philadelphia, and the new site will offer a cleaner environment and increased economic opportunities for the region.

    Kevin R. Boyle, Dean V. Krishna, Andrew S. Levine and Christopher W. Rosenbleeth

  • Colony Capital Acquires NJ Industrial Properties

    Stradley acted as local real estate and environmental counsel to Colony Capital Inc. in the $100 million acquisition of 29 New Jersey industrial properties.

    Catherine M. Ward
    Colony Capital Acquires NJ Industrial Properties

  • Redevelopment Project in Stone Harbor

    Stradley Ronon represented the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) with a redevelopment project in Stone Harbor, New Jersey. A 250-bed retreat house with 4.5 acres of beachfront views owned by IHM was demolished, and a new retreat house was constructed on a smaller lot allowing for the creation of 13 beach-block residential lots and a new street within the boundary of the original property. The sale of the high-profile lots provided funding for demolishing the existing building, creating a new retreat house and establishing an endowment to support the future needs of the congregation.

    The Stradley Ronon team navigated the complex town zoning board requirements, received CAFRA permitting from the state Department of Environmental Protection, negotiated with the contractor, potential developers and residential lot buyers and resolved a dispute with the Borough of Stone Harbor regarding the developability of land adjacent to dunes.

    Catherine M. Ward, Joseph J. McHale and Jennifer A. Gniady

Firm Highlights