Month: September 2020

On Thursday, September 24th, Thomas S Dolan, Esq. will take part in the 14th Annual Meadowlands Conference, hosted by the Northeast New Jersey Chapter of the Appraisal Institute. The presentation will provide an overview of Tax Court valuation principals, the requirements for sufficient expert appraisal testimony, and a discussion of recent Tax Court valuation cases and trends.

Thomas S. Dolan is a partner in the firm’s Property Tax Appeal and Litigation practice groups, where he represents corporate and individual clients in real estate tax matters and commercial litigation.

Tom has broad experience advising taxpayers and governmental entities on complex real property tax issues and has litigated the value of virtually all property types, including office buildings, retail stores, shopping centers, apartment buildings, industrial facilities, hotels, and unique special purpose properties. He also has extensive experience litigating complex commercial matters in state and federal courts, including class actions, franchise litigation, state tax controversies, commercial contracts, and real estate disputes.

As a valued advisor on Long Term Tax Exemptions and Payment In Lieu of Tax (PILOT) agreements, both redevelopers and municipalities seek Tom’s counsel for all aspects of the PILOT approval process, from obtaining the proper redevelopment area designation and drafting the redevelopment agreement to negotiating and finalizing the terms of the tax agreement.

Additionally, Tom has considerable expertise advising non-profit organizations on obtaining and litigating real estate tax exemptions, including arguing before the Supreme Court of New Jersey, where he successfully represented a group of national and local mental health organizations in preserving property tax exemptions for housing for residents with developmental disabilities.

On Tuesday, September 22nd, the Jersey City Planning Board granted site plan approval in connection with the development of a 4-story multifamily residential building located at 67 Virginia Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey.

The project was previously approved in October of 2019, but was amended to account for changes to the front yard setback, internal building layout and additional amenities.

The developer, Kontos Construction Co LTD, has been actively developing both commercial and residential projects throughout New Jersey since 1981.

Chris J. Murphy, Esq. led the firm’s successful efforts on behalf of the land use team, which included Patrick Lesbirel from Brick City Reconstruction and Arthur Kuyan from Stonefield Engineering & Design.

NEWARK, NJ, September 21, 2020 – Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP (MSW) is pleased to announce that Ollia A. Pappas and Charlotte M. Munday will be joining the firm as associates.

Olga (Ollia) A. Pappas will concentrate her practice on land use, transactional real estate, and environmental matters. Prior to joining the firm, Ollia worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Lisa Perez-Freiscia, J.S.C., of the New Jersey Superior Court. Having recently graduated magna cum laude from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, Ollia also holds a master’s degree from the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston University, where she graduated magna cum laude.

Charlotte M. Munday will concentrate her practice on litigation and property tax matters. Charlotte recently finished a clerkship with the Honorable Kathi F. Fiamingo, J.T.C., of the Tax Court of New Jersey, where she gained invaluable insight into the workings and decision making process of the State’s Tax Court. A graduate of Syracuse University College of Law, Charlotte obtained a bachelor’s degree from Niagara University, graduating cum laude, and holds a master’s degree in environmental science from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

“We are incredibly excited to have Ollia and Charlotte join our growing team. Both have impressive backgrounds that will complement our diverse commercial real estate practice. We truly look forward to helping them grow into seasoned attorneys in the coming years, as we continue to strive to provide effective legal solutions to our clients,” says Kellen F. Murphy, the firm’s managing partner.

On Monday, September 14th, the City of Newark Central Planning Board granted preliminary and final major site plan approval, along with variance relief in order to permit construction in connection with a commercial truck surface parking lot in the City’s South Ward.

Chris J. Murphy, Esq. led the firm’s successful efforts on behalf of the land use team, which included Tiago Duarte from Dynamic Engineering Consultants P.C., Craig Peregoy from Dynamic Traffic LLC, and John McDonough from John McDonough Associates, LLC.