Judge Hal Greenwald granted Z&S’s motion to dismiss, which resolved the case in their client’s favor, before any discovery commenced or any answer to the Complaint was filed. Z&S primarily argued that the case was an illegal “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation,” under New York State’s new “Anti-SLAPP” legislation, which prohibits lawsuits focused on stifling...

Jacob Amir recently secured site plan approval from the Town of Pound Ridge Planning Board for the construction of an innovative art studio as part of the Oberon Foundation for the Arts’ new Artist-in-Residence Program. Designed by Steven Holl Architects, a world-renowned firm whose projects have included the Terezin Ghetto Museum in the Czech Republic...

David Steinmetz and Lee Lefkowitz successfully obtained a discretionary rezoning of a large area at the center of the Village of Piermont’s downtown – the first step towards revitalizing a long-vacant and prominent parcel at the main entry-point to the Village. This clears the way for redevelopment of that site with the client’s proposed 14-unit...

Dan Richmond and Lee Lefkowitz obtained the unanimous denial of an appeal by the Village of Monroe Planning Board to the Village of Monroe Zoning Board of Appeals, which sought to challenge certain aspects of the implementation of a 34-unit multifamily project. The appeal, which was in unusual fashion brought by another of the Village’s...

Dan Richmond, Lee Lefkowitz, and Kasey Brenner obtained the dismissal of challenges under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) to the Town of Ramapo Planning Board’s site plan and subdivision approvals for the 224-unit Pascack Ridge Project.  In a Decision and Order, dated January 17, 2023, the Honorable Paul Marx adopted Z&S’s argument that...

Daniel Richmond and Kate Feinman have secured $1,677,000 in funding from the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) for a new mixed-use development project at 49 West Broad Street in the Village of Haverstraw. The funds will be used to redevelop the currently blighted site with a new 5-story mixed-use building hosting 55 residential...

On November 28th, David Cooper and Brian Sinsabaugh, along with a consultant team of DTS Provident, Bowman Engineering and Lessard Architects, secured unanimous Site Plan Approval from the Port Chester Planning Commission in connection with a proposal to redevelop a 15-story apartment building. The development site includes eight adjoining lots along Broad and North Pearl...

Daniel Richmond recently secured Final Subdivision Plan Approval from the Village of New Hempstead Planning Board for a sixteen (16) lot subdivision.  The approved subdivision clustered the residential lots to preserve significant open space, and preserve virtually all the site’s sensitive resources, including its steep slopes and wetlands.

Z&S Partners David Cooper and Jody Cross have secured another favorable decision in the second of two lawsuits filed on behalf of the Hampshire County Club against the Village of Mamaroneck Planning Board concerning a proposal to develop 105 homes and a 9-hole golf course on the Club’s property. In June 2020, Hampshire filed an...

On October 26, 2022, the Appellate Division, Second Department issued a decision in Jaffe v. French-American School of New York, Inc. (Index No. 51577/2018), affirming Zarin & Steinmetz’s argument on behalf of the French-American School of New York (“FASNY”) that a nearly one-hundred year old restrictive covenant purporting to prohibit “institutions” did not prohibit the...