Frank E. Chaney - New York, NY

Overview

Frank E. Chaney joined Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. in 2014 and is Counsel with the firm's Transactional Department. He is also an adjunct professor at NY Schack Institute of Real Estate teaching Land Use & Environmental Regulation. Chaney is an expert in zoning, land use and environmental law, having advised and represented clients on a wide range of land-use matters such as rezonings, special permits, variances, air rights transfers, zoning lot mergers and development agreements.

Chaney has overseen the design, construction and implementation of large-scale projects throughout New York and the Outer Boroughs. Those projects include:

• Hudson River Park/Route 9A
• Staten Island Ferry Terminal
• Staten Island Yankees minor league baseball stadium
• Water Tunnel No. 3

Chaney received his bachelor's degree in urban studies, economics and computer science, cum laude, from the New York University and his J.D. from New York Law School. Chaney is a member of the American Planning Association, the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the New York City Bar Association, and is licensed to practice law in New York.

Prior to joining Rosenberg & Estis, Chaney was with Bryan Cave LLP and Fried, Frank, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. Before that, Chaney was a Zoning & Development Staff Consultant with Phillips Nizer LP.

Earlier, Chaney served as Assistant Commissioner with the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services, where he planned for and managed the city's real estate portfolio. He was also Land Use Director for the Staten Island Borough President's Office, where his responsibilities included designing, directing and implementing the Staten Island Zoning Plan and the design, financing and planning for major waterfront redevelopments.

Chaney served with the NYC Department of City Planning as a City Planner and then as Deputy Director, developing large scale plans and projects, and major rezonings in Manhattan and Brooklyn. He also served as Senior Project Planner with the Mayor's Office of Construction, where his work included promoting technical innovation in public works design and construction, and monitoring public works construction contracts.

Prior to his work in the planning field, Chaney worked as Assistant Project Superintendent on New York City's Water Tunnel No. 3.

Notable Work

• Represented the Nederlander Organization as zoning counsel with regard to the sale and transfer of air rights from the Neil Simon Theater to 560 Seventh Avenue
• Provided zoning and land use counsel to Second Stage Theatre on the purchase of the Helen Hayes Theater, City Planning Commission approval of the transfer of air rights from the theater to two purchasers/development sites and Landmarks Commission approval for modernization and upgrading of the interior and exterior landmark building
• Represented Equity Office Properties in obtaining City Planning Commission approval for the redesign of the public plaza at 1095 Sixth Avenue, including closing and converting to additional retail space the existing subway entrance, creating a new subway entrance and negotiating a subway entrance easement and maintenance agreement with the New York City Transit Authority
• Represented Kub Capital in obtaining Landmarks Commission approval for a new residential building with ground floor retail at 150 Wooster Street in the SoHo Cast Iron Historic District
• Obtained a Department of Buildings zoning determination and City Planning Commission approval for modification of loading requirements and parking garage special permit at 4 New York Plaza, to adapt the building to post-Hurricane Sandy FEMA and NYC Building Code requirements for flood resiliency
• Performed zoning due diligence for the purchaser of 207 W. 75th Street by obtaining a Department of Buildings zoning determination that ensured purchaser's proposed new development would comply with zoning, thus enabling purchaser to obtain financing and close on the purchase
• Acted as zoning counsel to the condominium at 170 John Street in South Street Seaport with respect to a zoning lot merger and sale of air rights, including the negotiation of a zoning lot development agreement with the air rights purchaser
• Represented Cornell University in the development of a zoning lot development agreement to facilitate the creation of a leasehold condominium and sale of a condominium unit to the Hospital for Special Surgery