Stephen Lefkowitz

Stephen Lefkowitz advises clients on land use, zoning, and structuring and financing large-scale public and private development projects.

Stephen retired as a partner in 2015. From 1976 to 1982, he was an associate professor at Columbia University School of Law. In 1976, he served as counsel to the New York State Senate Committee on Housing and Urban Development. From 1971 to 1975, Stephen served as general counsel to the New York State Urban Development Corporation (Empire State Development Corporation) and had previously served as special assistant counsel to Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller. Stephen also served as developer’s counsel for Hudson Yards, Atlantic Yards (Barclays Center), Yankee Stadium, and Cornell Tech.

Stephen is recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as a leading individual in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Senior Statesmen). He is consistently recognized by Legal 500 in Real Estate as well as Real Estate: Land Use and Zoning (Hall of Fame).

Work highlights:

• Counsel to The Related Companies in all aspects of the transaction and land use approvals for the Hudson Yards project, including negotiating the overall project documentation with the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority and shepherding a series of land use approvals to enable the development to proceed.
• Counsel to Tishman Speyer in connection with the 1.5 square foot Gotham Center Office Development in Queens. Our work included  negotiating a development agreement with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, a 99-year ground lease of the property from the City of New York, a lease of the building back to the City for occupancy by the New York City Department of Health, license and easement agreements with the City, and construction financing.
• Counsel to SL Green Realty in the proposed development of One Vanderbilt, a 1,200-foot, 65-story office tower located directly across from Grand Central Terminal. The project consists of rezoning of the five block “Vanderbilt Corridor” adjacent to the Terminal; special zoning permits for construction of a 1.7 million square foot, 1,500’ tall tower; construction of US$210 million in public realm improvements including major work on the Lexington Avenue 42nd Street subway station; and construction of a “public place” on Vanderbilt Avenue from 42nd to 43rd Streets.
• Time Warner Inc. in the sale of its headquarters building at Time Warner Center and development of a new headquarters building at Hudson Yards.
• The New York City Economic Development Corporation in restructuring leases with the Port Authority for JFK International and LaGuardia Airports. 
• The New York Yankees in the development of a new Yankee Stadium.
• Forest City Ratner Companies in the development of Barclays Center Arena/Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn.
• Cornell University in connection with development of its new Science Tech campus on Roosevelt Island.
• 9/11 Memorial Foundation in connection with Memorial and Museum at World Trade Center Site.