Christopher S. Cohen

Christopher S. Cohen is a land use attorney in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office and a member of the D.C. and Northern Virginia Land Use Team. He represents developers, property owners and institutional clients throughout the land entitlement process, providing strategic guidance on complex zoning and land use matters across the District of Columbia.

Mr. Cohen advises clients from the earliest stages of due diligence through discretionary approvals, construction and final occupancy. He has secured entitlements for a wide range of projects in both the downtown core and emerging neighborhoods of Washington, D.C. His work before the D.C. Zoning Commission includes approvals for Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), zoning map amendments, campus plans and design review applications. He also regularly obtains variances and special exceptions from the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA), embassy and chancery approvals from the Foreign Missions BZA and public space approvals from the District Department of Transportation.

Mr. Cohen also advises clients on legislative matters before the D.C. Council, including alley and street closings, public land dedications and amendments to the District's Comprehensive Plan. Given the interdisciplinary nature of entitlement work, Mr. Cohen frequently coordinates with agencies such as the Department of Buildings, Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), and the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) to resolve permitting, licensing and occupancy issues.

In addition to his land use and legislative work, Mr. Cohen brings meaningful experience in administrative and appellate litigation. He has supported Holland & Knight's Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group in matters before the D.C. Office of Administrative Hearings and the D.C. Court of Appeals.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Cohen practiced land use and zoning law at a regional firm in Bethesda, Maryland. He began his legal career in the Commercial Division of the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, where he served as counsel to both the Zoning Commission and the Board of Zoning Adjustment.

A native of the Washington, D.C., area, Mr. Cohen remains active in his community through pro bono service and professional engagement. He also serves on the Washington, D.C., office's Executive Partner Committee, which acts as a liaison to the executive partner and represents the interests of associates and policy professionals across the office.

Representative Experience

• Represented a developer in obtaining entitlements for a phased, mixed-use development in Northeast Washington, D.C., delivering more than 650 new residential units and over 20,000 square feet of commercial space to support the revitalization of underutilized industrial land
• Advised a developer in securing Zoning Commission approval and successfully defending an appellate challenge to a mixed-use redevelopment near the Washington, D.C., Wharf, which will deliver more than 490 residential units and over 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space
• Assisted a developer with securing Zoning Commission approval for a transit-oriented, mixed-use project in the U Street neighborhood, featuring more than 145,000 square feet of residential use across multifamily units and townhomes
• Represented a developer in obtaining entitlements from the Zoning Commission for a phased, mixed-use project totaling more than 780,000 square feet of gross floor area along the Lower Anacostia Waterfront
• Represented a joint venture in obtaining design review approval for a multi-building, mixed-income project in Washington, D.C.'s Hill East neighborhood, as part of a larger, multi-phased redevelopment effort
• Advised an independent preparatory school in Northwest Washington, D.C., on amending its approved private school plan and obtained Board of Zoning Adjustment approval to facilitate expansion and a range of campus improvements
• Provides ongoing counsel to developers and landowners seeking to modify or extend existing entitlements in response to evolving market conditions
• Advises an electric vehicle company in identifying strategic properties within the District of Columbia and navigating applicable land use and zoning regulations
• Represents major hotel brands and commercial establishments in connection with permitting, licensing and occupancy matters, including alcoholic beverage licensing
• Provides ongoing pro bono representation of a homeless services shelter to clear title issues and facilitate redevelopment of the property to include supportive housing, affordable housing and a central kitchen facility