CONTRACTS & REAL ESTATE
CHIEF Steven Stein Cushman DEPUTY Howard Friedman
The Contracts & Real Estate Division counsels City agencies on transactional matters, such as leases and contracts,
and acts as transactional counsel on special projects at the request of the Mayor’s O?ce and City agencies.
Attorneys not only negotiate and draft contracts, but also approve City transactional documents and advise on
processes that must be followed to enter into such agreements.
Transactional Work on Energy Initiatives
Division attorneys contributed input on a number of projects relating to City clean-energy and energy-saving initiatives.
NYC Cool Roofs — In collaboration with NYC Service and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, Division
attorneys helped draft an agreement for, and have advised on issues arising from, NYC Cool Roofs, a project to
encourage building owners to reduce energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and local temperatures by applying a
white, reflective coating to their roofs.
Newtown Creek Gas Rights Concession — Division attorneys have assisted the City’s Department of Environmental
Protection, in conjunction with several other divisions, in drafting an agreement to provide National Grid with digester gas
produced by the City’s Newtown Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant and for National Grid to build a plant to treat the
digester gas.
Retrofits — The Division is advising the Department of Citywide Administrative Services on the procurement of various
energy services for City-owned buildings, including energy audits and the design and installation of energy-efficient
equipment.
Tavern on the Green Transition
Prior to its closure, Tavern on the Green was operated as a restaurant concession. During the past year, in conjunction with
the Affirmative Litigation, Legal Counsel, and Tax & Bankruptcy Litigation divisions, Division attorneys worked closely with the
Parks Department on issues arising from the bankruptcy filing by the prior concessionaire and the conversion of the site, at least
temporarily, for use as a public visitor center and gift shop with food concessions. Division attorneys also provided input on
litigation regarding ownership of the Tavern on the Green trademark.
15
Practice Spotlight
Cost Reduction Negotiations
In conjunction with the Mayor’s Office, Division attorneys are helping to negotiate cost reductions with
the hundred vendors that have the largest volume of business with the City. In addition, the attorneys
helped negotiate a contract with Accenture, the consulting company assisting the City on this project.
The goal is to obtain price concessions from the vendors on existing contracts, resulting in immediate
savings for the City.
Governors Island and Brooklyn Bridge Park
In conjunction with the Economic Development Division and the Legal Counsel Division, Division attorneys worked on the transfer
of Governors Island and Brooklyn Bridge Park to City control by drafting contracts between the City and the respective not-forprofits formed to operate the island and park. In addition, Division attorneys advised on projects arising at the two sites, such as
the drafting of an official request for proposals for a restaurant on Pier 6 of Brooklyn Bridge Park.
DNA Testing Agreements
Division attorneys, in conjunction with the Legal Counsel Division, drafted form agreements for the Office of the Chief Medical
Examiner to allow jurisdictions nationwide to use the City’s cutting-edge DNA testing technology in support of their lawenforcement efforts. The Division is also involved in drafting a similar agreement to assist other New York State localities in
identifying missing persons and human remains by providing the necessary DNA and anthropological services.
Request for Proposals in Bike Share Program
Division attorneys assisted the Department of Transportation in drafting a request for proposals that seeks an operator for a
bike share program. The program would provide for approximately 10,000 bicycles throughout parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Program users could pick up bicycles at one location and return them to a different location.
16