Gary B. O'Connor

As co-chair of Pullman & Comley's Real Estate, Energy, Environmental and Land Use Department, Gary B. O'Connor focuses his practice on real estate, land use and environmental matters. He has extensive experience in all aspects of complex industrial and commercial real estate transactions, particularly those impacted by environmental conditions.  Gary is experienced in the fields of regulatory compliance and permitting.  He has worked closely with regulators from DEEP, EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local agencies on behalf of his private and public sector clients.  Moreover, he has successfully negotiated major federal and state grant and loan agreements in connection with large-scale public and private remediation and redevelopment projects.

Gary has represented the public sector in the creation of a major airport authority, the closing of one of the largest real estate transfers in Connecticut and the development of regional malls, magnet schools and large urban renewal projects.  He has successfully handled complex eminent domain cases on behalf of municipalities. Gary has also represented private developers in connection with the acquisition, remediation, land use permitting and construction of large commercial and residential projects, many of which are located on former brownfield sites.

Gary has served as co-chair of Connecticut's Brownfields Working Group since 2006, and, in that capacity, has assisted the General Assembly in creating one of nation’s top Brownfields programs. During that time, he has been one of the leaders in Connecticut in revising state environmental laws.  He served as co-chair of the Environment Committee of Governor Dannel Malloy's Transition Team.  Gary is served as a member of the state's Risk-Based Cleanup Working Group and was recently appointed to the new Risked-Based Cleanup Working Group 2.0, which has been charged with reviewing how the Release-Based Cleanup Program is working in practice.  Gary is a LEED Accredited Professional.  LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Gary is ranked by leading legal directory Chambers USA in both real estate and environmental law, with one client noting that "Gary is the best attorney we have used at our organization."

Gary has extensive experience representing businesses and developers in local land use matters.  He has represented a Fortune 100 company in obtaining zoning and related land use approvals for a 3.5 million square foot distribution center.  He is also assisting companies in the cannabis industry in obtaining zoning approvals for cannabis establishments in a number of municipalities in Connecticut.  Throughout his career, Gary has counseled clients in the health care industry on regulatory, transactional and business matters. Currently, Gary represents a national EMS provider, physicians and related health care practices.

Office

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association - Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section

Connecticut Bar Association - Environment, Real Estate and Land Use Section

National Brownfield Association

Connecticut General Assembly's Brownfield Working Group - co-chair

Air & Waste Management Association

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Risk-Based Remediation Working Group 2.0

Community Involvement

Waterbury Regional Chamber of Commerce - past chairman and member of Board of Directors and Executive Committee

James Cooper Foundation - Fellow

Police Activities League – outside legal counsel

Ion Bank Foundation - director

Loyola Development, Inc. - secretary, director

Town of Woodbury Business and Economic Development Committee - member

Honors & Recognitions

Listed in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers to Businesses in the areas of Environmental Law and Real Estate

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Litigation - Real Estate since 2016, Real Estate Law since 2023, and Environmental Law in 2027

Selected to the Super Lawyers list since 2013 in the area of real estate.  Also selected in the area of environmental law for multiple years since 2013

Recipient of the Yeshiva Gedolah of Waterbury Man of the Year Award

Selected to the Hartford Business Journal’s 2024 Power Real Estate List

Recipient of Waterbury Chamber's Malcolm Baldrige Leadership Award

Selected to Greater Hartford's Top Attorneys

Received the highest peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell (AV) 

The following are representative of Gary's accomplishments and experience:

• Represents the Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA), the owner and operator of Bradley International Airport and five general aviation airports, in connection with all real estate, land use, permitting and environmental issues. Headed a team of attorneys with all real estate, land use, permitting and environmental issues relating to the transfer of Connecticut's airports from the Department of Transportation to CAA.
• Represented a Fortune 100 company in obtaining all zoning and related land use approvals for a 3.5 million square foot distribution center.
• Represents a municipality in connection with the proposed major expansion and relocation of airport operations at Tweed New Haven Airport. Led a team of environmental and land use attorneys in evaluating the potential environmental and land use impacts of the project and have provided input and advocacy at the state and federal levels, including with CT DOT and CT DEEP, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the FAA.
• Represents a major regional developer on all aspects of the development of a mixed-use project on a on a brownfield site formerly used as a branch location for the University of Connecticut in West Hartford. The project will consist of (a) approximately 111,000 square feet of retail space, restaurants, an organic grocery store, medical offices and other commercial uses; (b) 100 units of rental housing; and (c) 28 townhomes.
• Represents a municipality in connection with the acquisition of 90-acre brownfield site from an international chemical company, and the remediation and redevelopment of the site as a major intermodal transportation and distribution center for several multi-national companies.
• Represents a regional council of governments on a project of statewide importance: the acquisition, remediation and decommissioning of a hydroelectric facility, including the removal of two dams, which will allow the effective passage of fish for a 40-mile stretch of the Naugatuck River from the Atlantic Ocean.
• Represents a municipality in connection with the remediation and redevelopment of a major brownfield site historically used for almost 200 years by a national rubber company and chemical company. Led a team of Pullman & Comley attorneys, surveyors, civil engineers, and environmental professionals to investigate the complex environmental conditions at the site, and to remediate the site in accordance with State and Federal regulations. Assisted the municipality in obtaining brownfields grants and in entering the site into one of Connecticut’s liability relief programs. Handled all land use matters with respect to this transit oriented development project, which will include a new train station to be constructed by CT DOT, commercial space, and over 400 affordable and market-rate residential units.
• Represents a national developer in connection with the acquisition, financing, remediation and development of a brownfield site in central Connecticut into a market rate apartment complex consisting of more than 250 units.
• Represents a major Connecticut municipality in the redevelopment of a 600,000 square foot industrial building on a large brownfield site. Responsibilities include all land use, environmental and construction issues, dealing with federal and state regulations, and negotiating long-term leases with international tenants.
• Served as counsel to a municipality in connection with the remediation and redevelopment of a former blighted industrial area into a mixed-use development which includes a regional retail outlet center, restaurants, hotels and residential housing.
• Represented an industrial developer in the purchase from a major mortgage-backed security pool of a mortgage encumbering a large industrial property; negotiated with the former owner for an uncontested foreclosure of the mortgage and an assignment of the owners assets to the client; and successfully reached an agreement with the former tenant of the property to reimburse the client on major building repairs and to remediate the environmental conditions at the property.
• Represents regional waste haulers, processors and recyclers in connection with permitting, regulatory compliance, real estate, and land use issues.
• Represented a regional developer in connection with all land use approvals (i.e. inland wetlands, planning and zoning) relating to the development of a regional retail center which includes national retail stores.
• Represented regional retail developer in connection with the investigation and remediation of a contaminated site which impacted a significant wetlands area.  Negotiated with DEP, EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding remedial and development permits.  In addition, represented the developer in connection with all title and land use issues.
• Represented a regional development agency in connection with all land use, title and environmental issues relating to the development of a $200 million downtown project which included an arts magnet school, a UCONN branch, a 3,000 seat theater, parking garages and related improvements.
• Represented a regional development agency in connection with the remediation of a 200-year-old industrial complex and development of a one-million square foot regional mall, handling real estate and land use issues.
• Served as outside environmental counsel to a major municipality regarding CEPA litigation, landfill closure, well contamination and remediation issues.
• Served as counsel to numerous businesses involved in CERCLA contribution/recovery actions.

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