Holland & Knight LLP

Kenneth Lowenstein is a land use attorney in Holland & Knight's New York office who advises clients on all aspects of site development in New York City, including site analysis, zoning changes, special permits, zoning variances and air rights transfers.

Mr. Lowenstein also assists clients who wish to develop affordable housing under one of the city's programs, including Voluntary Inclusionary Housing (VIH), Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) and the newly adopted Uniform Affordability Preference Program (UAP).

In addition, he represents clients seeking to utilize the Section 421-a and Section 485-x tax exemption programs, Affordable New York Housing Program, Section 421-a Extended Affordability Program and Section 467-m Conversion Program.

Mr. Lowenstein has more than 35 years of experience in the land use field. Recent matters handled by Mr. Lowenstein include:

• representing a multibillion-dollar real estate asset manager in the development of approximately 7 million square feet of office, residential, retail and hotel space on the west side of Manhattan
• providing ongoing zoning analysis to a private equity fund in connection with its acquisition of self-storage facilities
• obtaining approval from city agencies for a national real estate investment trust (REIT) to develop a full-block site with three schools, housing and retail
• representing a developer in converting two office buildings into residential properties with more than 2,000 apartments on completion
• obtained the first approval for an owner under the Section 421-a Extended Affordability Program and represented numerous other owners in securing the required approvals; additionally advising the Real Estate Board of New York in connection with tax exemption programs
• filing applications with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development for approvals under the Inclusionary Housing Program (IHP)

Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Lowenstein worked for a U.S. congressman and served in senior positions in New York state and city governments, including on former Mayor Edward Koch's staff, as well as in New York City's Department of Buildings and in the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development.