Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (3/11/25) – An AI Inflection Point for Hotels, Investor Pivot in Build-to-Rent and Looming Legislation for Single-Family Investors
March 24, 2026 —
Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law BlogIn our latest roundup, lodging demand for World Cup brings growth, commercial property management firms use of AI becomes firmer, construction industry shows slow start to the year, and more!
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Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team
Colorado Legislature Considers Series of Bills Aimed at Boosting Affordable Housing Construction in Colorado — What Homebuilders Need to Know
April 08, 2026 —
Amanda E. McKinlay - Snell & WilmerOn January 21, 2026, lawmakers introduced a series of bills with the goals of addressing affordable housing issues and incentivizing construction in Colorado.
House Bill 26-1001 (known as the “Housing Opportunities Made Easier ‘HOME’ Act”) concerns the promotion for residential developments on “qualifying properties” that do not contain exempt parcels through the bypassing of often time-consuming local planning processes. Under HB26-1001, a “qualifying property is any real property that contains no more than five acres of land and is owned by: (i) a nonprofit organization with a demonstrated history of providing affordable housing; (ii) a nonprofit organization that provides public transit; (iii) a nonprofit organization that has entered into an agreement with another nonprofit organization with a demonstrated history of providing affordable housing, provided that the agreement requires the nonprofit organization with a demonstrated history of providing affordable housing to develop a residential development on the property; (iv) a school district; (v) a state college or university; (vi) a housing authority; or (vii) a local or regional transit district or a regional transportation authority serving one or more counties.
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Amanda E. McKinlay, Snell & WilmerMs. McKinlay may be contacted at
amckinlay@swlaw.com
Newmeyer Dillion Partner Jeff Masters Recognized by Chambers USA for Representation of Insurance Policyholders
June 08, 2026 —
Newmeyer DillionNEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – June 4, 2026 – Newmeyer Dillion is proud to announce that litigation partner Jeffrey D. Masters has been ranked among a select group of California lawyers representing insurance policyholders in the 2026 edition of Chambers USA.
This marks two consecutive years of recognition for Masters by this prestigious international attorney rating resource.
"This recognition by Chambers and Partners is a testament to Jeff’s dedication to our clients," said Managing Partner, Paul Tetzloff. "We are thrilled to see his hard work acknowledged and the level of passion and care that he delivers to clients fully recognized."
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Newmeyer Dillion
Amended Again?! Critical Changes to RPAPL § 881: What New York Contractors and Construction Managers Need to Know
March 10, 2026 —
Mark A. Snyder & David Polazzi - Peckar & Abramson, P.C.Recent amendments to New York’s RPAPL § 881 will significantly change how project teams obtain and maintain access to adjoining properties for construction-related work. The 2025 amendment signed into law by Governor Hochul, and the newly enacted 2026 revisions, will directly impact general contractors (GCs) and construction managers (CMs), as well as their trade contractors who regularly confront neighbor‑access, support‑of‑excavation, and protection‑of‑adjoining‑property challenges. Although we do not advise that GCs and CMs get involved in the “weeds” of license agreements or the prosecution of an action to obtain access pursuant to an RPAPL § 881 action, which are typically owner responsibilities, GCs and CMs should understand the change in law, as there may be circumstances where they are responsible for securing access.
This alert outlines the key statutory changes and explains the operational, scheduling, insurance, and risk‑management implications for the New York construction industry.
Reprinted courtesy of
Mark A. Snyder, Peckar & Abramson, P.C. and
David Polazzi, Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
Mr. Snyder may be contacted at msnyder@pecklaw.com
Mr. Polazzi may be contacted at dpolazzi@pecklaw.com
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Andrew Gendron Authors D.C., Maryland Damages Compendium Articles for Defense Counsel Journal’s “Damages Compendium – East of the Mississippi”
August 24, 2026 —
Lewis BrisboisBaltimore Partner Andrew Gendron recently penned the District of Columbia (D.C.) and Maryland damages compendium articles for the Defense Counsel Journal’s “Damages Compendium – East of the Mississippi,” which appears in the publication’s June 2026 issue. Mr. Gendron’s articles discuss evolving standards governing various types of damages in commercial litigation across jurisdictions in D.C. and Maryland.
In the compendium articles, Mr. Gendron describes the circumstances under which parties may recover various types of damages, citing to the relevant portions of the D.C. Code and Annotated Code of Maryland, as well as to applicable case law. Specifically, he discusses compensatory, consequential, incidental, punitive, liquidated, reliance, and unjust enrichment damages. In doing so, Mr. Gendron details the types of cases in which parties may recover these damages and under what circumstances.
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Lewis Brisbois
High-Rise Design and Construction: Then, Now, and Next
March 16, 2026 —
Aarni Heiskanen - AEC BusinessThe Empire State Building was built in 14 months. Since 2010, the average completion time for a 200-meter-plus building has increased from
4.3 to 5.8 years. Buildings have become more complex, and there's more regulation than in the 1930s. Still, there are ways to make high-rise construction more efficient.
An Unlikely Benchmark From 1930
When construction began on the Empire State Building on March 17, 1930, the world was in the midst of the Great Depression. That turned out to be an advantage. Contractors Starrett Brothers & Eken had access to a vast, motivated workforce, peaking at 3,439 workers on a single day in August 1930.
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Aarni Heiskanen, AEC BusinessMr. Heiskanen may be contacted at
aec-business@aepartners.fi
GRSM Partner Debra Ellwood Meppen Recognized as 2026 Legal Visionary by Los Angeles Times
June 02, 2026 —
Gordon Rees Scully MansukhaniGordon Rees Scully Mansukhani proudly congratulates Partner Debra Ellwood Meppen on being named a 2026 Legal Visionary by the Los Angeles Times. The LA Times Studios 2026 Legal Visionaries List recognizes lawyers in Southern California who “exemplify a forward-thinking approach to the law, elevating both their profession and the people who depend on it.” Meppen is recognized for helping shape the future of the legal profession through her leadership, professionalism, and integrity.
Published as part of the May 2026 issue highlighting Southern California’s leading law firms and attorneys, the Legal Visionaries section honors attorneys making a significant impact on the legal industry and the broader business community.
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Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani
Prefatory Contract Language Cannot Be Used to Create an Ambiguity with Operative Provisions
May 12, 2026 —
David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal UpdatesContract drafting and interpretation matters.
A case dealt with the potential conflict with prefatory language in an agreement compared with operative provisions in the agreement. The trial court held that the operative provisions control. I discussed this case
here where the appellate court reversed based on the prefatory language.
But, through a motion for rehearing, the appellate court reconsidered its position and affirmed the trial court based on the operative provisions, mainly that the prefatory language cannot be used to create an ambiguity with operative provisions. Consider this explanation in affirming the trial court:
Because the trial court correctly found that the initial language in the contract was prefatory and could not be used to create an ambiguity in the remainder of the contract, we affirm the final judgment.
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David Adelstein, Kirwin NorrisMr. Adelstein may be contacted at
40 Year Anniversary – Congratulations Ed Doernbe
Lawsuit Decries Environmental Assessment for Buffalo, NY, Expressway Cap Project
Underpowered AC Not a Construction Defect
California Court of Appeal Adopts Horizontal Exhaustion Rule
No Friday Night Lights at $60 Million Texas Stadium: Muni Credit
Carillion Fallout Affects Major Hospital Project in Liverpool
Condominium Exclusion Bars Coverage for Construction Defect
Workers Hurt in Casino Floor Collapse
Make Prudent Decisions regarding your Hurricane Irma Property Damage Claims
An “Agreement to Agree” Is Not a Binding Contract
Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams. Unlicensed Contractor Takes the Cake
FEMA Fire Management Assistance Granted for the French Fire
Executive Insights 2025: Leaders in Construction Law
Key Legal Issues to Consider Before and After Natural Disasters
Scotiabank Is Cautious on Canada Housing as RBC, BMO Seek Action
Traub Lieberman Partner Eric D. Suben Obtains Federal Second Circuit Affirmance of Summary Judgment in Insurer’s Favor
Court Says KBR Construction Costs in Iraq were Unreasonable
Did You Know: Unique Legal Considerations for Animal Care Facilities
Illinois Appellate Court Holds Causation Can be Addressed in Appraisal Process
Pollution Created by Business Does Not Deprive Insured of Coverage
Water Intrusion Judged Not Related to Construction
A Property Tax Exemption, Misapplied, in Texas
Defending OSHA and a Call to Action Against Funding Cuts
#11 CDJ Topic: Cortez Blu Community Association, Inc. v. K. Hovnanian at Cortez Hill, LLC, et al.
Neither Designated Work Exclusion nor Pre-Existing Damage Exclusion Defeat Duty to Defend
Sioux City Building Owners Sue Architect over Renovation Costs
Congratulations to Haight Attorneys Selected to the 2021 Southern California Super Lawyers List
Two Texas Cities Top San Francisco for Property Investors
Vacant Property and the Right of Redemption in Pennsylvania
Arbitration Provisions Are Challenging To Circumvent
Travelers Injury Impact Report Highlights Longer Recovery Times Amid Declining Injury Rates
Bad News for Buyers: U.S. Mortgage Rates Hit Highest Since 2014
Burlingame Construction Defect Case Heading to Trial
Indemnity Provision Provides Relief to Contractor; Additional Insured Provision Does Not
Wendel Rosen Construction Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers
In a Win for Design Professionals, California Court of Appeals Holds That Relation-Back Doctrine Does Not Apply to Certificate of Merit Law
Cross-Office Team Secures Summary Judgment Win in Negligence Action with $2M Demand
Kahana Feld Partner Eran Forster Obtains a Motion for Summary Judgment
Amazon’s Fatal Warehouse Collapse Is Being Investigated by OSHA
Court Concludes That COVID-19 Losses Can Qualify as “Direct Physical Loss”
Wilke Fleury Attorneys Featured in “The Best Lawyers in America” & “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” 2025 Editions
Gilbert’s Plan for Downtown Detroit Has No Room for Jail
The Ghosts of Projects Past
Best Lawyers Honors 48 Lewis Brisbois Attorneys, Recognizes Four Partners as 'Lawyers of the Year'
Colorado Court of Appeals Decides the Triple Crown Case
Insurer Granted Summary Judgment, in Part, After Partial Payment of Claim
Home Prices Expected to Increase All Over the U.S.
More on the VCPA and Construction
Real Estate Trends: Looking Ahead to 2021
Judge Gives Cintra Bid Protest of $9B Md. P3 Project Award New Life
Several Wilke Fleury Attorneys Featured in Sacramento Magazine’s 2023 Top Lawyers!
r ProfitsHaight Proudly Supports JDC's 11th Annual Bike-A-Thon Benefitting Pro Bono Legal ServicesYear and a Half Old Las Vegas VA Emergency Room Gets Rebuilt
