Brett D. Feldman

Brett concentrates on zoning and land use matters with a focus on obtaining the necessary permits and approvals that enable a developer to build or renovate a building, construct a dwelling or open or expand a business. As part of this process, he works closely with various City agencies including the Planning Commission, Department of Licenses & Inspections, Streets Department, Historical Commission, Art Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Philadelphia Water Department, as well as City Council. Drawing on his extensive planning background and community involvement, he also works directly with local community groups and elected officials to secure their support for his clients’ projects. Once zoning approvals are obtained, he assists in obtaining necessary building-related permits, operational licenses and tax abatements.

Brett’s practice includes:

• Representing numerous national chain and local restaurants for zoning, building and other development and licensing approvals. Restaurants include Starbucks Coffee, Papa John’s Pizza, Rita’s Water Ice, Olive Garden, Domino’s Pizza, Au Bon Pain Sandwiches, Potbelly Sandwiches, Dunkin Donuts, Subway, California Tortilla, Fado, Little Caesar’s Pizza, Bruegger’s Bagels and Buca di Beppo.
• Representing universities, hospitals, hotels and charter schools with regard to the permits and approvals necessary to open or expand.
• Representing owners of industrial properties in their efforts to redevelop property for residential, commercial, or retail uses.
• Obtaining zoning and other land use approvals to develop shopping centers, supermarkets, national pharmacy stores, parking garages, day care centers, hotels, medical office buildings, health clubs, outdoor advertising signs, and laundromats.
• Representing major owners and developers of real estate in connection with real estate tax exemptions, abatements and assessment appeals.

Quoted, “Proposed PEP Redevelopment on South Broad Latest Challenge for Philly’s Modern Architecture,” Hidden City, February 12, 2024

Quoted, “53 apartments are planned above PEP Bowl in South Philadelphia,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 18, 2024

Moderator, “A Panel Discussion about Philadelphia’s New Tree and Landscape Zoning Code Provisions,” accredited CLE Program, December 5, 2023

Panelist, “Jumpstart Philly Real Estate Radio Show,” Jumpstart Germantown, October 12, 2023

Moderator, “Affordable Housing in Philadelphia: Maintaining Existing Housing and Increasing Supply,” Accredited CLE Program, June 22, 2022

Moderator, “Housing in Philadelphia: A History of Racial Segregation and a Discussion of How We Move Forward to Promote More Fair and Equitable Housing Policies,” Accredited CLE Program, June 16, 2021

Moderator, “The Philadelphia Land Use and Zoning Approval Process During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” April 23, 2020

Course Instructor, Citizens Planning Institute, Fall 2019 Course “Zoning 2.0”, October 2019

Host and Moderator, “A Roundtable on the Pew 10th Annual State of the City Report”, Philadelphia, PA, May 2019

Host and Moderator, “An Overview of the New Philadelphia Land Bank,” Philadelphia, PA, May 2014

Host and Moderator, “The Story Behind the Current Center City Retail and Commercial Renaissance,” Philadelphia, PA, April 2013

Host and Moderator, “An Overview of the New Philadelphia Zoning Code’s Provisions Concerning the Role of the Community,” Philadelphia, PA, June 2012

Author, “The Importance of Obtaining Support When Seeking Zoning Relief,” The Legal Intelligencer, March 30, 2009

• Representation of a publicly traded REIT in obtaining land use and zoning approvals for its redevelopment of several large existing Philadelphia shopping centers.
• Representation of a privately owned real estate and development firm based in Texas in obtaining the necessary city of Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania land use and zoning approvals for a 170,000-square-foot last-mile distribution center leased to an international company in Northeast Philadelphia.
• Representation of a joint venture to assist with the purchase of a large property owned by a quasi-Philadelphia governmental entity as well as for the necessary city and state land use and zoning approvals to construct an approximately 150,000-square-foot warehouse and logistics center.  To obtain these approvals, the representation included working with governmental and community interests to have the zoning controls of the Property amended.
• Representation of a New York-based developer in its mixed-use redevelopment of a Center City, Philadelphia multi-building former cold-storage complex by obtaining various land use and zoning approvals from the Philadelphia Historical Commission and the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
• Representation of numerous self-storage developers to obtain Philadelphia land use and zoning approvals.
• Representation of numerous national and Philadelphia area-based banks to obtain land use and zoning approvals throughout the Philadelphia region.
• Representation of a Philadelphia area-based developer to obtain land use and zoning approvals and Philadelphia City Council approvals for the construction of a Center City mixed-use tower.
• Representation of a nationally recognized Philadelphia-based affordable housing provider in its development of numerous residential buildings.
• Representation of a leading regional concrete manufacturer in its successful efforts to construct a new Philadelphia production facility.
• Representation of a major national luxury homebuilder in its ongoing residential redevelopment of Center City, Philadelphia that to date has resulted in obtaining approvals to construct nearly one-thousand residential dwelling units.
• Represented a major international financial group in its successful land use appeals.
• Represented a Fortune 100 company in its land use approvals necessary to expand an existing Pennsylvania manufacturing facility.
• Represent developers before Philadelphia City Council and City Planning Commission to obtain rezoning of property that allowed residential and commercial redevelopment to occur.
• Obtained approvals in New Jersey for a major international coffee chain store.
• Obtained approvals in the Philadelphia suburbs for a major national retailer.