Michael J. Caccavelli
Partner
Michael J. Caccavelli joined the law firm of Pearlman & Miranda, LLC in June of 2018. Mr. Caccavelli’s practice encompasses all aspects of local property taxation and he has extensive experience litigating complex real estate tax appeal cases involving office complexes, hotels, manufacturing facilities, general industrial and warehouse properties, power generation plants, regional malls, retail centers, warehouses, apartment complexes, data centers, condominiums and golf courses.
A significant part of Mr. Caccavelli’s practice is dedicated to representing and advising clients on all aspects of redevelopment projects. In that regard, Mr. Caccavelli has guided clients through redevelopment processes from preliminary investigations to redevelopment area designations. Additionally, he has been an integral part in the preparation and passage of redevelopment plans and the negotiation and drafting of redevelopment agreements. Also, he has secured long and short term tax abatement agreements (also known as payment in lieu of tax or “PILOT” agreements) for such redevelopment projects and assisted clients with urban enterprise zone qualification issues. Mr. Caccavelli is actively involved in this developing area of the law and has assisted in drafting legislation amending the Long Term Tax Exemption Law and the Redevelopment Area Bond Law.
Mr. Caccavelli also has particular expertise with respect to casino property tax appeals, having served as lead trial counsel for the municipality of Atlantic City in a real estate tax appeal filed by the Sands Casino Hotel, which was the first published case in the nation to comprehensively address casino valuation.
Mr. Caccavelli regularly counsels and advises clients, including developers, institutional owners and lenders, on the real property tax implications of the purchase and sale of real estate, which includes providing real property tax projections as part of deal due diligence. Mr. Caccavelli has also handled a multitude of property tax exemption matters involving religious, educational, charitable, hospital, assisted living and nursing home exemption issues as well as farmland assessment and farmland roll-back tax issues. Mr. Caccavelli’s redevelopment practice is complemented by his experience in eminent domain and condemnation matters; he has represented both private and public clients in all phases of condemnation proceedings from the initial project planning stage through trial and appeal. Of note, Mr. Caccavelli coordinated a right-of-way acquisition for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s Interchanges 6-9 Widening Program in which the Authority acquired more than 320 properties to facilitate expansion of the roadway for a distance of 35 miles.
He and his wife Lisa live in Morris County where they enjoy raising their two daughters.
Bar Admissions
New Jersey
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
COURT Admissions
United States Supreme Court
Education
| Washington College of Law at the American University, J.D. | 1996 |
| Boston University, B.A. | 1993 |
Professional Memberships
New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on the Tax Court
New Jersey State Bar Association
Positions
| Zipp Tannenbaum & Caccavelli, LLC Partner | 2011-2018 |
Representative Cases
Vision Mortg. Corp., Inc. v. Patricia J. Chiapperini, Inc., 156 N.J. 580 (1999).
Center for Molecular Medicine and Immunology v. Twp. of Belleville, 357 N.J. Super. 41 (App. 2003).
City of Atlantic City v. Ace Gaming, LLC, 23 N.J. Tax 70 (Tax 2006).
Mesivta Ohr Torah of Lakewood v. Township of Lakewood, 24 N.J. Tax 314 (Tax 2008).
AHS Hosp. Corp. v. Town of Morristown, 25 N.J. Tax 374 (Tax 2010).
N.J. Turnpike Auth. v. Witt, 2010 WL 2795077 (App. 2010).
Cnty of Essex v. Rubin, 2011 WL 2496222 (App. 2011).
1145 Towbin Ave., LLC v. Twp. of Lakewood, 2012 WL 4465371 (N.J. Tax 2012)
ARE-279 Princeton Rd. v. Twp. of E. Windsor, 2016 WL 2604839 (N.J. Tax 2016)
Representative Transactional Matters
Obtained Long Term Tax Exemption for 655 MW gas-fired power plant developed in Newark, NJ.
Secured Redevelopment Agreement and PILOT for 206,500 SF warehouse in Carteret, NJ.
Negotiated Long Term Tax Exemption for 539,000 distribution warehouse in Elizabeth, NJ.
Procured a 30 year PILOT for a construction of a new 540 MW power plant in Sewaren section of Woodbridge, NJ.
Re-negotiated PILOT to reduce annual payment to municipality by nearly 50% on 285,000 SF retail center.
Reduced annual PILOT on 225 MW coal-fired power plant from $1.96M to $650,000.
Served as lead counsel to the NY Red Bulls in the negotiation and implementation of a settlement transaction resolving litigation pending in the New Jersey Supreme Court concerning the tax exempt status of Red Bull Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. The transaction facilitated prospective property tax exemption for the stadium and implementation of a PILOT via the use of the County Improvement Authorities Law enabling the client to achieve substantial prospective annual property tax savings.