Tarter Krinsky & Drogin’s Construction Practice Has Finger on the Pulse of Brooklyn’s Burgeoning Cultural Scene

10/20/17

Leading mid-size, full-service firm is involved in numerous ground-up and redevelopment projects in the borough, including retail, commercial, entertainment and residential spaces

Several notable Brooklyn development projects have one thing in common – middle-market, full-service law firm Tarter Krinsky & Drogin has helped the principals avoid various legal potholes and set the projects on the road to completion.

The firm’s top-ranked Construction practice partners with clients on some of the most significant development projects in New York and elsewhere across the United States. The firm has been particularly active in advising the development community behind the latest hotel, residential, retail and arts projects in cutting-edge Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint, as well as with the pioneering Greenway Initiative to connect the borough’s neighborhood parks and gardens. 

Among the many notable projects of TKD’s Construction practice, two were recently highlighted in The New York Times for their cultural significance.

  • TKD represented the joint venture behind the multi-million dollar acquisition and development of the Brooklyn Mirage in East Williamsburg. The entertainment complex encompasses a 6,000-person, 80,000-square-foot site that includes indoor and year-round facilities. In addition to hosting the world’s top DJs, the Mirage will also host movie screenings, fashion shows and art events. Led by Construction chair David Pfeffer, the TKD team successfully solved various license and permit issues while satisfying the needs of the project’s construction lenders. The New York Times highlighted the club’s opening in a feature article.
  • TKD also continues to represent Nitehawk Cinemas with its New York expansion. Nitehawk is the foremost innovator in New York that introduced dine-in cinemas with alcohol service and expanded film-related programming, similar to the Curzon Cinemas in the UK. TKD has performed a wide-range of work for the client over the last five years, starting notably by persuading the State of New York to change its liquor regulations to allow Nitehawk to sell alcoholic beverages to be consumed during film screenings. TKD provided all of the business and legal services related to the acquisition, financing and ongoing construction and development of Nithawk’s new Pavilion Theatre on Prospect Park, a multi-million dollar project in Brooklyn’s booming Park Slope neighborhood. Construction practice chair David Pfeffer is leading this matter.
  • Over the last 18 months, Construction chair David Pfeffer has been assisting world-acclaimed artist Barry X. Ball and his team construct his new multi-million dollar studio, warehouse and stone yard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  The design allows for an expansion on Ball’s current base in Williamsburg and the new Andrew Berman Architect-designed space will feature more than 20,000 sq. ft. of studios, workspace and storage.


“Many sections of Brooklyn have seen significant changes over the last decade, and the pace of construction and redevelopment shows no signs of letting up. Many projects are in densely populated and sometimes historic neighborhoods, which presents challenges and often require special legal counsel. It has been gratifying to be involved in many high-profile projectsin the borough,” said David Pfeffer, chair of TKD’s Construction practice.

TKD’s Construction practice represents some of the world’s leading corporate and institutional owners and developers in transactional and dispute-related construction matters.  The firm handles every aspect of a construction project from agreements to leasing to financing to any resulting litigation. In addition, the construction and real estate lawyers often team up to provide integrated construction-real estate services, drawing upon the resources of the full-service firm, and working closely with other practices, including litigation, corporate, bankruptcy, tax and immigration, among other areas depending on clients’ needs.

Among the other notable Brooklyn projects in which the firm has been engaged during the past 12 months include:

·         Advising award-winning and leading landscape architectural firm Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, P.C., in the negotiation of several agreements related to major public projects such as the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway.

·         Representing leading developer Red Sky Capital in various aspects of the continued development  of  the Fulton Mall in downtown Brooklyn.

·         Providing legal support for Tishman Speyer in the redevelopment of Macy’s Brooklyn department store. The three-year-long, multi-million dollar project involves the consolidation of the Macy’s retail space, the conversion of the upper floors to office space, and the demolition of an old parking garage, in place of which a new commercial space will be constructed.

·         Representing Cayuga Capital in the development of One Nassau Avenue, a multi-million dollar new mixed-use, residential and retail construction project. TKD has provided counsel on joint venture negotiation, property acquisition and construction.

“Major new developments are changing the face of Brooklyn, attracting new residents and establishing the borough as a bona-fide destination for entertainment. These highlighted matters show how TKD not only offers clients insight into their businesses, but also into a market that is fast-moving and constantly evolving,” added Pfeffer.

About Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP

Tarter Krinsky & Drogin is the total legal solution for businesses of all sizes, with a focus on the middle market. Since its founding in 2001, the firm has grown into a dynamic collection of lawyers from a broad swath of New York law firms who chose to join its common goal of more effectively and efficiently serving middle-market businesses. Purposefully designed to be an integral part of any client’s business team, the firm is a vibrant, full-service law firm dedicated to smart thinking and strong client relationships. Learn more at http://www.tarterkrinsky.com/

Recent Deals

Interested in advertising your deals? Contact Edwin Warfield.