Monthly Archives: June 2015

If at first you can’t collect property taxes, try try again

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Commercial Real Estate on Jun 30, 2015.

The large inventory of vacant and abandoned properties in Philadelphia is at the center of yet another controversy. This time the issue is not safety, as we discussed in our March 12, 2015, post. This time, the issue is unpaid property taxes.

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With commercial property, cross your Ts and dot your L&I’s p2

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Commercial Real Estate on Jun 26, 2015.

The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections has had its problems in the past. The Market Street building collapse in June 2013, for example, highlighted some of the department’s shortcomings. (See our Nov. 1, 2013, post, L&I takes criticism from all sides in June 5 building collapse, for more information.) There had been complaints about failures of all sizes before Market Street, though, and the last two years may not have seen much change.

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With commercial property, cross your Ts and dot your L&I’s

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Land Use & Zoning on Jun 23, 2015.

So you want to open a restaurant in Philadelphia. You have a clear idea of what the restaurant will be about, of what diners will experience from the moment they walk in the door. You have the perfect location picked out: an old row home in an up-and-coming neighborhood. You plan to turn the parlor into a bar that will transport your customers back to the era of sidecars and gimlets. You will use the upper floors for dining and events. It’s perfect.

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Design approval granted for tower next to historical building

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Development on Jun 20, 2015.

In any development plan there are multiple matters that need to be addressed. The specific issues that arise will vary from project to project depending on the circumstances surrounding each. For example, if the location of a new building is next to a historical building, the new structure may need to meet certain design requirements.

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Having trouble clearing land use and zoning hurdles? Talk to a local zoning lawyer

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Development on Jun 18, 2015.

Real estate developers know that a wide array of issues needs to be addressed throughout the duration of a project. From permit to occupancy, there are potential obstacles that could hold up and even derail the whole endeavor.

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Outlets hope to lure ‘destination shoppers’ back to Center City p2

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Development on Jun 4, 2015.

Few shoppers may realize it, but there are nine different categories of shopping centers, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. There are super-regional malls, regional malls, lifestyle centers, neighborhood centers, power centers — the list is confusing until you look at the size of each category’s trade area. Neighborhood centers, for example, serve customers within a 3 mile radius; a regional mall’s trade area is 5 to 15 miles.

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How does someone gain access to a property that’s landlocked?

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Land Use & Zoning on Jun 4, 2015.

We’ve all seen those signs that say “No Trespassing.” In many areas across the nation, these signs are put up by landowners who don’t look to favorably on violators who trespass on their property. In some cases, even mistakenly placing a foot on someone else’s property can spark disputes that may end in litigation.

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