Christopher E. Kent

Christopher E. Kent is a real estate lawyer assisting clients to identify, assemble and acquire desired properties for development and use based upon the client’s objectives and local municipal requirements and zoning laws. Chris also assists private and municipal clients throughout Suffolk County, New York with obtaining all forms of approvals and permits for planning, financing and constructing projects of all types and sizes including large scale redevelopment and wastewater infrastructure projects.

Chris represents some of the largest private developers in the New York region before Town and Village Boards, all County Departments, Sewer Agencies, and Sewer Districts. He advises clients who are developing or redeveloping properties and constructing downtown and transit-oriented development, utility scale energy, on-site private sanitary and wastewater treatment facilities and connections to County and Municipal Sewer and Water Districts.

Prior to joining the firm in 2011, Chris served as the Chief Deputy County Executive of Suffolk County, the largest suburban county in the nation, from 2009 to 2011 and, from 2007 to 2009 was the Director of the County’s Real Estate Division. In this role, he was responsible for the management of all County real estate transactions for the government. Chris’ experience also includes running a private law practice for twenty-one years in Riverhead, New York focusing on real estate, municipal, and environmental law.

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Experience

• Represented a large Long Island development company on the creation and construction of a private sewer collection and transmission system for the development of an over 50-acre hub around an active rail station to redevelop the area with a mixed-use project.
• Acted as economic development and wastewater counsel for two large developers to create mixed-use residential/retail/hotel and park projects on formerly underutilized properties, maximizing property values and creating much needed housing and retail along major workforce corridors.
• Represented landowners and utility companies with the assemblage of large tracts of land and the applications and approvals for the development of utility-scale solar facilities.
• Advised a farm family on several projects to sell large tracts of land and utilize 1031 Exchanges to reinvest the proceeds and defer substantial capital gains tax.
• Worked with various developers to repurpose large retail buildings for occupancy by medical practice groups.
• Served as the lead real estate counsel to a family-owned agricultural business on Long Island who sold a significant property to a large publicly-traded cannabis company.
• Served as special counsel to the Village of Southampton for forming sewer district in the village’s commercial center.
• Acted as counsel to Suffolk County’s consulting engineer to form several proposed County Sewer Districts.

Community Work

• YMCA of Long Island, Inc., Board of Directors
• Town of Riverhead, Deputy Supervisor (2005–2007), Deputy Town Attorney (2004–2005), and Town Board Member (1998–2001)
• Suffolk County Community College, former adjunct professor of state and local government