George Garcia will be joining W. Nevins McCann as co-chair of Connell Foley‘s Real Estate and Land Use Practice Group.
With veteran real estate lawyers Garcia and McCann at the helm, Connell Foley said its Real Estate Group’s Land Use group is preparing for a bright and busy future that includes growing the team and servicing an expanded geographical territory. Kevin Coakley, who served as the group’s co-chair for over 20 years, will continue to contribute to the group’s growth in a co-chair emeritus role.
Under the new leadership of Garcia and McCann, the firm is confident the group will quickly respond to economic changes and provide a full spectrum of real estate law services to more clients than ever, according to firm Managing Partner Timothy Corriston.
“I look forward to growing the Real Estate and Land Use Group’s influence throughout the region,” said Garcia, who has dominated Jersey City’s real estate scene in recent years, guiding the development of the Garden State’s tallest residential building — 99 Hudson St.
“My goal is to replicate the success we achieved in Jersey City by collaborating closely with our clients, government agencies and regional leaders to drive meaningful change across the entire region,” McCann said.
McCann served on Gov. Phil Murphy’s 2018 Transition Team and has been on the frontline of major economic development for decades, working closely with politicians and their cabinets on some of the largest real estate projects in the region.
Having focused his practice on redevelopment law and municipal land use matters in urban and suburban areas throughout New Jersey, Garcia is an authority on the technical requirements involved in establishing rehabilitation and redevelopment zones under the Local Housing and Redevelopment Law. He and his team provide an across-the-board set of skills that includes legal guidance on acquisition matters, financing and joint venture matters and the long-term positioning of assets for clients.
McCann’s extensive experience includes regularly assisting developers in locating and acquiring parcels, entering into development and redevelopment agreements, working with federal, state and local agencies in securing necessary site permits and financing, and overseeing the construction, leasing and sales of real property. Piloted by Garcia and McCann, Connell Foley’s Real Estate and Land Use Group is more than 40 lawyers strong, and its close ties to the Garden State’s cities aren’t limited to the group’s co-chairs.
Longtime Connell Foley Partners Charles Harrington, James McCann and Steve Urban have also played leading roles in the renaissance of several New Jersey areas. They are joined in Newark by Partners Jennifer Carrillo-Perez and Elnardo Webster, both of whom have played a significant role in the growth and redevelopment of the Garden State’s cities in recent years. Expanding the firm’s reach across the Hudson, environmental and brownfields Partner George Duke joined the New York office in 2023.
