Barak A. Wrobel

Barak Wrobel is a New York attorney and member of Holland & Knight's Real Estate Practice and New York City Land Use Team. Mr. Wrobel's practice focuses on advising property owners, developers, lender, institutions and nonprofit organizations on a wide range of land use, zoning, regulatory and transactional matters affecting the development and use of real estate in New York City.

Mr. Wrobel has extensive experience with local, state and federal land use laws, planning policies, administrative processes, zoning restrictions and environmental review regulations. His practice includes regularly appearing on behalf of clients before governmental authorities responsible for approving development projects and land use entitlements, including the Department of Buildings, the Department of City Planning, the City Planning Commission, the Board of Standards and Appeals, Housing Preservation & Development, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Empire State Development Corporation. He also appears on behalf of clients before local community boards and elected officials involved in the public review of land use applications and development proposals.

As a zoning and land use attorney, Mr. Wrobel works closely with architects, engineers, designers and environmental consultants to achieve coordinated results for clients. In connection with his land use and zoning practice, he regularly prepares analyses of real estate development potential, pursuant to zoning and other land use restrictions, to establish the highest value and best use of property for his clients. In addition, Mr. Wrobel drafts and negotiates restrictive declarations and other legal instruments required by government authorities in connection with approval of land use applications, entitlements and construction projects, and to facilitate the implementation of environmental mitigation measures. He also works on developments including affordable housing components.

Mr. Wrobel's land use practice includes preparing and prosecuting Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) applications. He has recently represented clients before the city toward the approval of ULURP applications allowing for the development of: a full block 1.2 million-square-foot mixed-use development on the Upper East Side of Manhattan; a full block 750,000-square-foot mixed-use development in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan; public access areas within the Special Hudson Yards District of Manhattan; and a special permit for an automated parking facility in SoHo. Mr. Wrobel also regularly prepares and obtains approvals for ministerial land use actions, such as public access area certifications.

In addition to his zoning and land use practice, Mr. Wrobel handles a variety of real estate transaction matters, including negotiating purchase and sale agreements, transfer of development rights, zoning lot development agreements (ZLDAs), zoning opinions and letters, easements agreements, ground leases, access agreements and construction contracts.

Prior to joining the firm in 2014, Mr. Wrobel served as a planner and attorney for the New York City Department of City Planning.