The Goulston & Storrs Washington DC Land Use group has been at the forefront of the District of Columbia’s evolution into a world-class city.  We have played a critical role in projects all across the city, from the resurgence of downtown D.C. to the revitalization of the city’s great streets and the creation of extraordinary and unique new neighborhoods.  We are adept at all aspects of real estate development, including the entitlement and construction of residential, commercial office, and mixed-use buildings as well as the master planning and strategic evaluation for both large sites and individual parcels.  We also work extensively with a broad range of medical, educational, and cultural institutions, including many of the District’s leading universities, hospitals, and schools. 

This group has deep experience navigating the extensive land use, zoning, and historic preservation laws and regulations in the District of Columbia. Our attorneys, architectural historians and historic preservation experts bring our planning expertise and passion for urban development to each project, with a solution-oriented, team-based approach that delivers successful results for each project.  We have taken countless projects through the planned unit development (PUD), large tract review, and campus plan processes as well as approvals for design reviews, rezonings, variances and special exceptions, and other entitlements.  Our experience also extends to other more granular approvals, including inclusionary zoning, building permit, building code, and public space approvals  

Members of the group regularly appear before the District of Columbia Zoning Commission, the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA), the D.C. Council, the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB), the Mayor’s Agent for Historic Preservation, the Public Space Committee, and the District’s Zoning Administrator.  We are also experienced in navigating the District’s overlapping federal approval processes, including reviews before the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), the Old Georgetown Board (OGB), and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC).  We work closely with staff at local and federal agencies as well as with the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) and other citizen and community associations across the city.

We provide exceptional service to local, regional, and national clients by drawing upon broad and deep attorney knowledge and experience, a wide diversity of practice areas, and the broader resources of our firm’s Boston and New York offices.  The group closely coordinates with real estate transactional lawyers across the firm to provide comprehensive advice relating to such issues as: construction; local, state and federal tax, including tax credits; public policy advocacy; and non-profit groups.  We also work closely within both industry-focused and client-focused teams to align our efforts with our clients’ business objectives, institutional mission, and industry trends.