Practices

Construction

From the world headquarters of a global pharmaceutical company to the performing arts center at a major university, the projects completed by our construction group reflect an unsurpassed caliber of service and range of experience. 

Our work encompasses ground-up construction, adaptive reuse of historic buildings, and LEED certified buildings. Our team represents clients in design and construction contracting, licensing and permitting, bidding issues, labor agreements, and dispute avoidance.  

We have experience in all types of project delivery systems. Clients include developers, energy companies, public/private joint ventures, professional sports teams, universities and health care institutions, and major corporations. 

Experience 

Industrial and Manufacturing

  • Scrap Metal Industrial Facility, Camden, New Jersey: Negotiated construction and demolition contracts for new facilities at a scrap metal industrial facility in Camden. The engagement also included advising the owner on mechanics' lien claims made by subcontractors.
  • Puris Proteins, LLC, Dawson, Minnesota: Represented a pea protein manufacturer in the conversion of a dairy production facility into a state-of-the-art 200,000 square foot pea protein processing facility.
  • Urban Outfitters, Inc. Reno, Nevada: Drafted and negotiated the design-build agreement for the design and construction of a 462,000-square-foot product fulfillment center and an installation agreement for the fabrication, installation, and commissioning of a state-of-the-art package handling system.

Higher Education

  • Residence Hall Restoration Project at Harvard University: Drafted form architect agreement and construction management agreements and RFPs for the renovation of the historic undergraduate residence Houses at Harvard University. Also advised client on insurance issues.
  • Residence/Dining Hall Complex at Temple University: Drafted and negotiated construction management agreement and furniture installation agreement for a residence and dining hall facility consisting of three new buildings, including a 28-story residence hall tower of approximately 308,000 square feet, a 10-story mid-rise residence hall of approximately 292,000 square feet, and a three-story dining facility of approximately 60,000 square feet with seating for 700. Assisted with establishing an OCIP. Advised on bonding and subcontractor default issues.
  • New Science Center at Harvard University: Drafted and negotiated an owner’s representative agreement, an architect agreement, and a construction management agreement for a one million-square-foot science education and research facility in the Allston section of Boston. Advised on insurance issues and assisted in setting up an OCIP.

Corporate, Institutional, Healthcare and Biotech

  • Comcast Technology Center, Philadelphia: We represented Comcast Corporation in connection with its development of the Comcast Technology Center, a 59-story mixed use development located in Center City, Philadelphia. This project is the ninth tallest building in the United States and the largest construction project ever undertaken in Pennsylvania. In connection with this representation, we negotiated design and construction contracts for the core and shell of the building, as well as construction contracts, telecommunications and cabling installation contracts and furniture procurement contracts for the tenant improvements.
  • Comcast World Headquarters, Philadelphia: Representation of Comcast Corporation in the negotiation of interior design contracts for its 800,000-square-foot world headquarters office tower in Philadelphia.
  • Spark Pharmaceuticals, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Drafted and negotiated the EPCM contract for the design and construction of new 500,000 gene therapy clinical and commercial GMP manufacturing facility.

Sports and Cultural

  • Philadelphia Phillies: Represented the Philadelphia Phillies in all aspects of the development and construction of Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies’ 38,000-seat baseball stadium in Philadelphia.
  • Museum of the American Revolution: Drafted and negotiated a project management agreement, an architect agreement, a construction management agreement, an exhibit design agreement, and various consultant agreements for new a museum in central Philadelphia. Advised on insurance and bond issues.
  • Independence Visitor Center Corporation: Represented the nonprofit developer in the redevelopment of Independence Mall in Philadelphia in partnership with the National Park Service, including negotiating building design and construction contracts for the Independence Visitor Center (which serves Independence National Historical Park, the City of Philadelphia, and the eight-county Philadelphia region), the new Liberty Bell Center (which serves as the new home for the Liberty Bell and includes educational and informational exhibits on the history and importance of the Liberty Bell), and the landscape redesign of Independence Mall and the Visitor Center Café located on Block 2 of Independence Mall. Also negotiated exhibit design and fabrication contracts for the exhibits in the Visitor Center and Liberty Bell Center and the Franklin Court Museum renovation project, as well as demolition contracts for existing improvements in Independence Mall, including the demolition contract for “Operation Mall Vista” involving the deconstruction of the old Liberty Bell Pavilion utilizing labor and equipment donated by local labor unions.

Multifamily Residential, Mixed-Use

  • 3601 Market Street, Philadelphia: Drafted and negotiated construction management agreement for a 28-story, 364-unit apartment building with 15,000 square feet of ground-floor retail in University Science Center section of Philadelphia. Advised client regarding insurance issues.
  • Jazz@Walker Circle: Drafted and negotiated architect agreement, construction contract and other consultant agreements for a 100,000-square-foot mixed-use apartment complex in East St. Louis, Illinois. Also drafted and negotiated a construction contract for a grocery store space on the ground floor.
  • The Residences at the Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia: Drafted and negotiated an architect agreement, design consultant agreements, construction management agreement, and tele-data cable installation contract for a 43-story, 270-unit condominium tower in central Philadelphia. Obtained zoning permits and negotiated settlement with neighboring property owner. Advised on the establishment of an owner-controlled insurance program and negotiated the OCIP Administration Agreement. Assisted with permitting.

Hospitality

  • W Hotel Philadelphia: Drafted and negotiated construction management agreement for a 40-story W Hotel in central Philadelphia.
  • Hilton Garden Inn: Negotiated the design and construction contracts for a convention center hotel built on air rights over a parking garage in Philadelphia.
  • Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Philadelphia: Negotiated the design and construction contracts for an interior renovation project.

Retail

  • Fashion District Philadelphia: Represented a national retail real estate investment trust in connection with the redevelopment of a large urban shopping mall in Philadelphia. Our work included negotiation of the design and construction contracts for the project, as well as advice on labor, procurement, bonding, equal opportunity and insurance issues. The project received various state and local subsidies that imposed complex and sometimes contradictory requirements with respect to construction, and the construction contracts had to reflect these requirements.
  • MarketPlace Philadelphia: Updating construction contract forms for airport retail developer.
  • Calhoun Square Shopping Center, Minneapolis: Represented RJM Construction in drafting and negotiating contracts for a substantial remodel and addition to the Calhoun Square Shopping Center, Minneapolis.

Customized Form Contracts

  • Harvard University: We created a fully integrated suite of procurement, consultant, design professional, and construction contracts that reflect best industry practices, project delivery methods, and technological advancements. The forms are tailored to Harvard’s distinct approach to procurement and are used University-wide. The forms include procurement documents (RFPs and RFQs); authorization to proceed forms; consultant forms (including forms for use with general non-professional consultants and non-design specialty consultants, such as owner’s reps); architect agreements; design professional forms (used for non-architectural engineering services); pre-con-services agreements, demolition contracts; supply and installation contracts (including equipment and furniture); and stipulated sum, GMP, CM-at-risk (with GMP to be formed later) and design-build contracts. Most of the forms have short and long form versions as well as master/work order versions. We also worked with Harvard's in-house risk management team to help structure a campus-wide OCIP program, including drafting and negotiating OCIP administration agreements.
  • Temple University: We worked with Temple's in-house lawyers and capital projects and procurement groups to create an integrated set of form contracts, including architect and engineering agreements, owner's rep agreements, demolition contracts, CM-at risk and stipulated sum construction contracts, design-build agreements, furniture supply and installation agreements, and construction contract forms tailored to the requirements of the Pennsylvania Separations of Act in situations where state capital dollars are used for construction.
  • CPG Beyond, Inc.: Created form design, construction, master design-build and subcontract forms for CPG Beyond, Inc., one of the largest data center developers in North America.