NEW YORK CITY—The complex pre-ULURP process just became a littleeasier for building developers. Applications no longer will need tobe completely perfect before going through the seven-month reviewprocess, according to Crain's New York Business.

The Department of City Planning, now under the director of CarlWeisbrod, is allowing projects to be certified when they arecomplete rather than waiting until the agency is onboard with everyfacet of the effort, says chair Carl Weisbrod. In addition, DCP ismaking other changes to shorten the time needed to get tocertification, such as adding staff, establishing clearer standardsand expectations and creating metrics to track how fast the agencymoves projects along.

David Giancola has joined Cassidy Turley's capital markets teamas SVP. Previously with West-River Capital, he began his commercialreal estate career in 2003 at Heitman LLC where he closed more than$750 million of transactions across all property types. He alsoworked at DTZ Rockwood and was principal of G&G Sterling.