Overview

Pedro Gassant is an attorney in Holland & Knight's Miami office and a member of the Real Estate Section, as well as a regional co-chair of the firm's national Land Use and Government Team.

Mr. Gassant practices in the areas of governmental advocacy and land use, focusing on land use and zoning matters in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. He represents lenders, builders, family offices, developers and institutional owners in all aspects of land use law through the entire development process.

As an undergraduate at Florida State University, Mr. Gassant was elected president of the Black Student Union and founded the East Gadsden Initiative, which implemented programs to assist students in preparing for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. He was also initiated into the Chi Theta Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and was recognized as the Humanitarian of the Year by Florida State University.

Mr. Gassant attended law school at the University of Pennsylvania. While there, he served as an editor of the Journal of International Law and helped develop a program teaching Kenyans their rights under the 2010 Kenyan Constitution. In spring 2011, Mr. Gassant traveled to Mombasa, Kenya, and helped teach the same program to women living in the Mtongwe community.

Mr. Gassant's representative engagements include:

Miami-Dade County

  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for the expansion of the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) to permit more than 700 multifamily units
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for the first Live Local project in Miami-Dade County for more than 900 multifamily units
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for a sewage treatment package plant outside of the UDB
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for the first 100 percent committed and restricted workforce housing development
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for 264 multifamily units on a former industrial site
  • As co-counsel, obtained approval for the rezoning of property that allowed for the development of 1,170 multifamily units in unincorporated Miami-Dade County
  • As co-counsel, obtained approval for several premier convenience store and service stations

Miami Gardens

  • As lead counsel, obtained approval of the first modern ready-mix facility in the city of Miami Gardens
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for 420 multifamily units at the Oak Enclave project
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for 341 multifamily units at the Laguna Gardens project
  • As co-counsel, obtained approval for the first, and only, stand-alone electronic commercial billboard in Miami-Dade County outside of the UDB

Medley

  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for more than 2.5 million square feet of industrial space

City of North Miami

  • As lead counsel for Continuum at 12000, obtained approval for 267 units, including the second-tallest building in the city outside of the SoLé luxury apartment complex
  • As lead counsel for Alta Bayshore, obtained approval for ultra-luxury condominiums and the tallest building in the city outside of SoLé Mia
  • As lead counsel for Mater Academy Biscayne, obtained approval for 2,500 students – the largest charter school approval in the city's history
  • As lead counsel for the White House Inn, obtained the first approval for redevelopment in more than 25 years

City of North Miami Beach

  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for Resia New North for the development of 1,292 units
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for Prestige Boardwalk for the development of 409 residential units and more than 11,000 square feet of commercial space

City of Hollywood

  • As lead counsel for the redevelopment of the Diplomat, obtained approval for 350 luxury condominiums and 500 condominium hotel units
  • As lead counsel for the Park Road Planned Development, obtained approval for 630 residential units, 45,000 square feet of office space and 35,000 square feet of retail space

City of Florida City

  • As lead counsel, obtained land use and zoning approval for one of the first horizontally mixed-use projects
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for 323 townhome units
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for 150 single-family homes

City of Hallandale Beach

  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for the first variance in more than 20 years to permit an electronic billboard

Live Local

Mr. Gassant has extensive experience guiding clients through both entitlements and tax abatements under the Live Local initiative. He has been successful in obtaining approvals for Live Local projects in Orlando, Florida, and has provided assistance in Riviera Beach, Florida. His knowledge extends across the state of Florida, where he aids clients with the tax abatement under Live Local process to enhance the feasibility and affordability of their developments.

Credentials

Education
  • University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D.
  • University of Pennsylvania, Certificate, Business Economics and Public Policy, Wharton School of Business
  • Florida State University, B.A., with honors
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • Florida
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Memberships
  • Urban Land Institute
  • United Way of Miami-Dade Young Leaders, Executive Committee
  • Haitian Lawyers Association, President, 2018
  • Haitian Lawyers Association, Vice President, 2016
  • Haitian-Americans for Progress, Board of Directors, 2015
Honors & Awards
  • The Legal 500 USA, Real Estate – Land Use/Zoning, 2022, 2025
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Miami Land Use and Zoning Law Ones to Watch, 2022, 2023; Miami Real Estate Law, 2023; Land Use and Zoning Law, 2025
  • Leadership Florida Connect Class 11, 2020-2021
  • Holland & Knight Emerging Leader, Class of 2019
  • Daily Business Review Professional Excellence Award, On the Rise Honoree, 2018
  • 40 Under 40 Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow, Legacy Miami, 2017
  • Top 20 Under 40 Young Professionals, Haitian American Chamber of Commerce, 2017
  • Leadership Miami, Class XXXVII, Best Team Project, 2016
  • Holland & Knight Public and Charitable Service All-Star, 2014
  • Humanitarian of the Year, Florida State University, 2009
Spoken Languages
  • English
  • Haitian Creole

Publications

News