Thomas P. Witt has extensive experience in commercial real estate transactions, including sales, leasing, financing, brokers licensing, zoning, and land development regulation. His practice includes zoning, land use, and historic preservation for projects in Philadelphia, including the Comcast Center, the luxury condominium 1706 Rittenhouse Square, and the National Museum of American Jewish History.
He also handles sale leaseback transactions and the representation of office tenants in leasing. Tom has lectured on real estate practice and zoning, currently teaches a seminar at the University of Pennsylvania Law School in the practice of land use law, formerly taught the course in land use law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and is listed in Who’s Who in American Law.
Tom served as co-chair of the Zoning and Land Use Committee of the Real Property Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association and was active on committees of the Philadelphia Bar Association and Development Workshop commenting on Philadelphia’s 2012 Zoning Ordinance.
He is also a member of the board of directors of Regional Housing Legal Services. Tom is a past president and current publications chair of the Bicycle Club of Philadelphia, chairs the advisory committee of the LaSalle University Art Museum, and, with his wife, Loretta, is past co-president of the Science and Art Club of Germantown.
He also served on the board of Historic RittenhouseTown, and was recently elected Treasurer of Historic RittenhouseTown. Tom earned his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from LaSalle College, his Master of Arts from Harvard University, and his law degree, cum laude, from Temple University. In 1968, he was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow.
EXPERIENCE :
- The Pennsylvania Hospital Tower at 8th & Walnut Streets, a complex matter involving city ordinances and hearings before the City Council.
- The Comcast Center, a 58-story tower and currently Philadelphia’s tallest structure, an as-of-right development.
- 1706 Rittenhouse, a luxury residential tower voted one of the best 20 projects in North and South America by Urban Land Institute for 2011.
- Represented the SugarHouse Casino, on Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia, in negotiating its development agreement with the city and supervised obtaining multiple land use permits and handling ongoing operational expansion issues.
- Represented University City Science Center in connection with a successful appeal before the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment, which granted the client a variance to replace signage on its building in West Philadelphia.
- Represented the buyer in connection with the acquisition of an eight-building industrial portfolio, which included drafting and negotiating the purchase and sale agreement and conducting title and survey review.
- Representing a developer in forming a joint venture with a property owner for feasibility studies and development of a large vacant site on the periphery of Center City Philadelphia.
EDUCATION :
- Temple University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1975
- Harvard University, M.A., 1969
- La Salle University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1968
BAR ADMISSIONS : Pennsylvania
AFFILIATIONS :
- American Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Philadelphia Bar Association
Cost
Rate : $$$