Stephen W. Gruhin, Esq., is a magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Columbia University’s Columbia College (class of 1978), and a graduate of the New York University School of Law (class of 1981). Admitted to the Bar in New Jersey and New York in 1982, and Florida in 1985, Stephen has been a practicing attorney for almost thirty-five years.
Stephen also holds a Doctor of Laws (1983) degree from the Rabbinical College of America, where, since 1982, he has continuously served as a member of that institution’s Board of Trustees and handled numerous legal issues on its behalf.
During his career, a substantial part of Stephen’s practice has been devoted to all aspects of real estate development - from initial concept through completed project. He is highly skilled in all areas associated with residential, commercial (office and retail) and industrial real estate, including zoning, acquisition, disposition, leasing and financing matters.
In a representational capacity for firm clients, as well as on a personal basis as a real estate developer for his own account, Stephen is actively engaged in the pursuit of acquisition, development and/or redevelopment opportunities involving any number of: (i) mixed use commercial office, smaller strip stores and larger shopping malls; (ii) recreational, banking and hospitality; and (iii) single and multi- family residential development projects. He either has previously been or presently is involved as a member in various limited liability companies actively engaged in the development of a variety of real estate projects. Illustrative examples of such ventures are: (i) an approximate six acre site in Essex County, as to which all necessary zoning and site plan approvals were obtained for the development of sixty-eight (68) market rate condominium apartments; (ii) a former nine (9) hold golf course site located in Ocean County, as to which all necessary zoning and site plan approvals (as well as state CAFRA approvals) were secured for the development of seventy-three (73) single family homes; and (iii) a six (6) acre environmentally contaminated “brownfield” site located in Passaic County. As to this latter project, after having successfully taken control of this Passaic County property (over the secured creditor’s objections) from a debtor-in-possession’s bankrupt estate, all of the necessary zoning and site plan approvals required to develop the tract as a community consisting of fifty-two (52) upscale townhouse units were obtained as to a site originally zoned for industrial use only.
Such full range of legal and entrepreneurial experience, affords Stephen a comprehensive and valuable set of skills not only pertaining to all aspects of real estate development, leasing, acquisition and financing transactions, but also with respect to all manner of general corporate, transactional work and complex civil litigation.
Opinions Published:
Charles Gendler & Co., Inc. v. Nippon Elec. Co., 199 N.J. Super. 227 (App. Div. 1985), rev'd on other grounds sub nom. Charles Gendler & Co. v. Telecom Equipment Corp. 102 N.J. 460 (1986)
Marvec Construction Corp. v. Township of Belleville and T. Ritacco Construction Co., Inc. 254 N.J. Super. 282 (Law Div. 1992)
Rogan Equities, Inc. v. Snipes, 289 N.J. Super. 95 (App. Div. 1996) Cert. den 145 N.J. 375 (1996)