Monthly Archives: August 2011

New evidence has been introduced in the Harmon Tower case we initially wrote about in our Aug. 19 post. MGM Resorts is fighting the $300 million lawsuit filed by its contractor, and it has now provided thousands of pictures that allegedly show the defects in construction that were created by the Perini Building Company.

Developers must comply with numerous local, state and federal regulations before any actual construction can begin. Keeping track of all of the laws and regulations can be difficult and often require the close assistance of an attorney. Developing land for gambling and harness-racing, however, requires compliance with a whole new set of laws. The last Pennsylvania harness-racing company is finding out that securing the rights to develop a harness-racing track and casino requires jumping through a lot of hoops.

Horses within the Philadelphia city limits may seem odd and five horses may seem even odder, but a family on Pontiac Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia has been keeping horses in their backyard for the past 10 years. At first the couple had one horse, but now they have three ponies and two horses all living in an urban backyard. While they initially sought the approval of their neighbors before they bought the animals, their neighbors are growing increasingly frustrated with the smell. After years of complaining to officials, the couple has received two violations for failing to get variances from the zoning ordinance that prohibits a backyard stable.

Construction industry experts believe that one of the biggest cases in U.S. history involving construction defects may never make its way into a court of law if MGM Resorts International and its general contractor, Tutor Perini, take the cautious route.

Range Resources, a company that drills for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale Formation in Pennsylvania, has found itself locked in a regulatory debate with several Pennsylvania townships and communities. Most recently, it has taken steps to challenge South Fayette’s zoning ordinance, which Range Resources has argued unfairly blocks development in the area.

Due to changes in the economy and in the real estate market, many homebuilders and developers are seeing decreased demand for new single-family homes. At the same time, demand for rental housing is increasing. Responding to this change, many builders and developers are focusing their efforts on building high-density apartments and rental housing.

Experienced real estate attorneys who need to help a construction project get underway understand the importance of working with state and local governments. With any construction or development project in Pennsylvania, many government permits are required, including site plan approvals and special use permits. For certain projects that involve the use of natural resources, environmental issues can play an important role.

Over the last few weeks, a man who was able to move into a $300,000 home for about $16 has grabbed quite a few headlines. The Texas man used a quirk in real estate law called “adverse possession” to move into the abandoned home after filing an affidavit with a court and moving into the home. If he is able to stay in the home long enough, he will get full legal title to it. This leaves many of our readers wondering if this could happen in Pennsylvania. The answer is yes and no.

Recently, PPL Renewable Energy completed an innovative power plant construction project in Pennsylvania. The power plant, located in Glendon, is known as the Glendon Green Energy Park, and it uses the methane gas that naturally forms in the Chrin Brothers landfill to produce electricity. Although the idea of using a byproduct of decomposing household waste is a great way of tapping into a new renewable energy source, the construction project needed help to get underway.