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Steven
Barshov

Principal

Steven
Barshov

Principal

Steven’s areas of specialization include land use law, environmental law, local government law, real estate, as well as related litigation. Having represented numerous developers, businesses, municipalities, and community organizations in more than 40 years of practice, Steven has handled projects of all sizes — from a large master planned community of 1195 units with a commercial center, to a small 3-unit subdivision, both inside and outside New York City. Steven has litigated in the United States Supreme Court; in federal courts in the Second, Fifth and Tenth Circuits; and at the New York Court of Appeals, Appellate Divisions, and trial courts in multiple counties. Steven has been qualified as a land use law expert witness in multiple New York courts.

Steven brings to any project a wide range of skills, including drafting complex real estate transactional documents, obtaining land use and related project approvals, undertaking required environmental analysis, and when necessary, litigation. Steven has written and lectured extensively in his areas of expertise. He was an adjunct Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School where he taught Land Use Law, State and Local Government Law, and Real Estate Practice. Steven regularly teaches continuing education programs in these subject areas both in New York and nationally.

Best Lawyers®, Environmental Law
Development And Land Use

Javits Convention Center

Location: New York, NY | Date: 2007

SPR represents Empire State Development Corporation (“ESD”) and has represented both the Jacob Javits Development and Operating Corporations in the environmental review of the proposed expansion of the Convention Center.  This representation included the review of the preparation of the Hudson Yards EIS, which analyzed the Convention Center expansion, extension of the number 7 subway line and the rezoning of the Hudson Yards.  The Firm also represented ESD and the Javits Development Corporation in assessing the need for a supplemental EIS when changes were made in the proposed expansion design and successfully defended in litigation the determination not to prepare a supplemental EIS.  SPR currently represents ESD with respect to potential additional development associated with the Convention Center with a mix of commercial and medical office, bio-tech/research, hotel, accessory housing and other uses.

Development And Land Use

Northern Westchester Hospital

Location: Westchester, NY | Date: 2011

Sive, Paget & Riesel represented Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, New York, in obtaining rezoning and site plan approvals for its proposed expansion of the hospital and construction of a 57,000 square foot medical office building. The firm is coordinating the preparation of the scope and other supporting documents for the project's SEQRA review, and working with the involved agencies to obtain other required approvals. This includes the acceptance of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, which has oversight authority because of the project's location in the City's Croton Water Supply System watershed.

Development And Land Use

Tuxedo Reserve

Location: Tuxedo, NY | Date: 2011

SPR served as environmental counsel to the Related Companies in connection with the Tuxedo Reserve project, a planned residential and mixed-use project on 2,374 acres, primarily in the Town of Tuxedo in Orange County, New York. SPR provided legal advice in connection with the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for this project, which originally contemplated the construction of over 2,000 dwelling units and over 500,000 square feet of commercial space. SPR also provided advice on a variety of zoning and permitting issues relating to this project.

“Practical Guide to Zoning and Land Use Law in New York: Navigate the Zoning Process With an In-Depth Understanding of Zoning Regulations,” Presenter

For: National Business Institute

November 2023

Conference on the Public Trust Doctrine, Presenter

For: Albany Law School

Novemeber 2018

“Short Course on Zoning,” Presenter

For: Westchester County Planning Federation

November 2018

“Land Use Law and Real Estate Practice,” Adjunct Professor

For: Brooklyn Law School, Adjunct Professor

1997 – 2012

Zoning and SEQRA Challenges to Large Scale Development Project Dismissed for Lack of Standing

On November 4, 2021, Justice St. George of the New York State Supreme Court issued two identical decisions denying standing to the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, the Group for the East End, a NYS Assembly member, and various property owners who had collectively commenced a pair of proceedings challenging the approval ...

Court Denies Motion to Dismiss $100 Million Lawsuit Against Southampton

In a precedent setting decision, DLV Quogue, LLC v. Town of Southampton (Index No. 606443/2018), New York State Supreme Court Justice Carmen Victoria St. George denied the Town of Southampton’s motion to dismiss claims brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C § 1983 challenging the constitutionality of the Town ...

Brooklyn Law School, J.D., 1980, Order of the Barrister Award for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy; Member A.B.A. National Appellate Advocacy Competition; American Jurisprudence Award in Criminal Procedure

Hunter College, City University of New York, 51 credits toward Masters in Urban Planning, Scholarship Award for Outstanding Graduate Students

Colgate University, B.A., 1974, Regent’s Scholarship

New Mexico, 1981

New York, 1983

Tenth Circuit and N.M. District Court, 1984

United States Supreme Court, 1988

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 1993

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1993

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2005

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 2003

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1999

American Bar Association member

New York Bar Association member

New Mexico Bar Association member

Association of the Bar of the City of New York member (prior member of Land Use Committee)

New York County Lawyers Association

Zoning Advisory Council