Partner Appointed by NYC Mayor to Task Force Exploring Opportunities to Convert Obsolete Office Buildings

BCLP Partner James P. Colgate has been appointed by the mayor of New York to the city’s Office Adaptive Reuse Task Force. The task force was formed with a focus on the future of NYC’s obsolete office buildings to help ensure the city’s central business districts remain vibrant, adaptable and successful over the long term.

Comprised of 12 individuals appointed by the mayor, city council speaker and public advocate, the task force will explore opportunities to convert obsolete office buildings to other potential uses, such as housing and schools, and will recommend legal and regulatory changes to support productive new uses for those buildings by the end of 2022. The work of the task force will complement the mayor and governor’s “New” New York blue-ribbon panel, which is part of a broader examination of the future of New York City and the region’s economy.

“I am thrilled to be selected as a member of this task force. I look forward to joining this diverse group of highly qualified and experienced professionals in their important work and am delighted to do my part to help ensure a bright future for NYC’s commercial districts. Thank you to Mayor Adams and his staff for this honor.” said James.

James is both a real estate lawyer and an architect, giving him a comprehensive knowledge of land use issues in New York City. Before joining BCLP, he held a number of positions with the NYC Department of Buildings, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and the Department of City Planning.

Click here to learn more about the task force.