Douglas J. Janacek

Douglas J. Janacek co-chairs the Real Property Group and is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. His areas of concentration include real estate development, planning, permitting, and redevelopment matters with an emphasis on commercial, office, and industrial developments. He has appeared before planning and zoning boards and governing bodies of numerous municipalities throughout the state, and also before the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and other state and county agencies, in connection with real estate development and redevelopment projects.

Mr. Janacek has also been involved in issues concerning a variety of regulatory requirements, including wetlands, coastal zone, stream encroachment, and waterfront development permits. He was involved in the formulation and drafting of the New Jersey Highway Access Management Code, one of the most comprehensive highway access regulations in the United States.

He routinely authors articles and appears in seminars and panel discussions involving all aspects of real estate development.

Representative Matters

• Represents the developer of a major retail shopping center adjacent to the Hudson River waterfront in connection with all local, county, and state environmental and transportation approvals.
• Represents a publicly traded Fortune 500 company with regard to the closure of a former landfill facility and the development of a 300,000 square foot distribution facility on the former landfill site.
• Development counsel to a national REIT with regard to its acquisition of several million square feet of existing and proposed office and retail space in two municipalities.
• Development counsel to an international energy conglomerate with regard to its acquisition of electric generating facilities, including a nuclear power plant, in multiple jurisdictions.
• Represented a publicly traded international package delivery company with regard to its expansion of its distribution facilities at existing and new locations throughout the NY region.
• Represented a residential real estate developer with regard to the conversion of a former industrial building into a multi-family townhome development in Weehawken.
• Counseled an international news agency with regard to the proposed conversion of an office facility into a telecommunications center with redundant security and power source requirements.
• Represents various retail developers (consumer electronics, fast food, toy, drugstore, etc.) with requirements to open numerous new sites on an annual basis. This representation requires substantial and efficient coordination of consultants and resources to identify and obtain all required approvals and permits, often on an expedited basis.
• Represented international corporation and office developer in connection with the approval and construction of 200,000 square feet of Class A space.
• Represented a coalition of Fortune 500 retail developers in connection with the opposition to and modification and adoption of the NJ Highway Access Management regulations.
• Represented a state agency in connection with the drafting of regulations required to implement cutting-edge land use mechanisms as part of a “Special Area Management Plan.”
• Represented a large-scale shopping center developer in connection with Department of Transportation and related real estate issues concerning multiple “big box” development.