Overview
Experience
Insights + News
Blogs
Joshua Lee Smith is a land use and real estate lawyer focusing on complex commercial real estate matters involving permitting, acquisitions, leasing, environmental compliance and financing. His clients primarily consist of developers, public and private corporations, public utility companies, colleges and universities and lending institutions. He works on a variety of matters involving urban and suburban developments and mixed-use multifamily, retail, office, public utility, industrial, education and hotel projects.
Josh works closely with public utility companies on projects involving the siting, development and permitting of bulk power substations, gas turbine generator facilities, high-voltage transmission lines, solar photovoltaic generation systems and operations and equipment management facilities. He serves as an expert zoning witness in hearings before the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.
Clients turn to Josh to navigate challenging legal and business issues.
Besides work
Josh is active in his church and coaches his son’s Little League baseball team.
In the news
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette discusses plans for the former Fairway Beef building in “Here’s the beef: Developer plans 9-story building at old Fairway site on Grafton Street“
- Worcester Business Journal mentions Joshua Lee Smith in “Six-story mixed-use development proposed for long-vacant Madison Street lot in Worcester“
- Worcester Business Journal discusses the redevelopment of the Curtis Apartments in “Worcester apartments to receive $178M renovation, adding 100 new units“
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette discusses the groundbreaking of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives’ life sciences incubator center expansion in “With expansion of MBI’s biomed center, state and city say Worcester rises on biotech scene”
- Joshua Lee Smith Speaks with Worcester Telegram about Two Approved Higher Ed Real Estate Projects
- Joshua Lee Smith Quoted in Worcester Telegram’s “Holy Cross plans to raze 4 College Hill buildings, build 2 new dorms”
- Blackstone Valley Xpress quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Resourcefulness sees BV Chamber through the pandemic“
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Worcester Planning Board OKs plan for 371-unit apartment complex on Mount Carmel Church site“
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Central Mass. ‘Cannabis Capital of the East‘”
- The Berkshire Eagle quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “North Adams Planning Board OKs marijuana cultivation in former Crane Stationery HQ“
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Retail pot storefront gets special permit to open on Mountain Street East”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “49-unit apartment building OK’d for Sever Street in Worcester”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Marijuana retailer New Dia preparing to open in Worcester”
- Bisnow quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Suburban Boston Developers: Coronavirus Pandemic Is Time For CRE To ‘Exercise Humanity’”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Worcester OKs marijuana grower and ‘craft cannabis’ business for Fremont St.”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette discusses the approval with contingencies of two new retail marijuana licenses in “Resinate, New Dia get marijuana licenses in Worcester”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Nature’s Remedy gets tentative nod for adult-use marijuana in Grafton”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette discusses MBI’s 25,000-square-ft expansion in “Mass. Biomedical Initiatives expands incubator space, offering startups more room to grow”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “With 2 more marijuana permits Worcester nears self-imposed cap”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Nature’s Remedy, TDMA get marijuana shop licenses in Worcester”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Worcester licenses Millbrook Street pot shop”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Worcester OKs 2 pot shops, on Southbridge St., Millbrook St.”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Worcester OKs more adult cannabis retail operations”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Worcester board green-lights Lincoln Street pot store”
- Worcester Business Journal quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Mission MA, The Botanist get local approvals for recreational pot sales”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Marijuana shops face little opposition in Worcester”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Worcester Planning Board OKs marijuana products operation”
- Community Advocate quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Westborough voters approve tax agreement for Olympus Corporation”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Rehab of old Worcester County Courthouse to start in spring”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Temescal gets special permit to grow recreational pot in Worcester”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Holy Cross’ $92M Performing Arts Center Gets Planning Board Approval”
- Joshua Lee Smith moderates Smart City: Smarter Connectivity, Better Quality of Life at Game Changers 2018
- Joshua Lee Smith appointed to Westborough Economic Development Committee
- Sturbridge Villager quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Review Committee Approves Multiple Signs”
- Daily Times Chronicle quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Council OKs 7-Eleven store proposal”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette discusses the acquisition and $53 million development of the former Worcester County Courthouse property in “Done deal: Old Worcester courthouse sold to developer”
- Grafton News quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Debate sparked over gas station proposal”
- Southcoast Today mentions Joshua Lee Smith in “Another switching station proposed for Somerset”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Worcester Board Gives Holy Cross OK for Major Expansion of Athletic Complex”
- Worcester Telegram & Gazette discusses the development of a 36,000 square foot alumni and student engagement center in “Clark celebrates opening new Alumni and Student Engagement Center”
- Agawam Advertiser quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Heated Discussion Over Solar Farm Law as Neighbors Fight Loss of Farmland”
- WickedLocal Plainville quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Plainville OK’s Special Permit for National Grid Substation at Casino”
- Westborough Life features the Smith family in “Meet Your Neighbor”
- Andover Townsman references Joshua Lee Smith in “Looking for a Land Bridge”
- MassLive quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Former Downtown Worcester Nightclub Approved for Apartments”
- MassLive quotes Joshua Lee Smith in “Holden Approves New Tennis Courts that Resulted from Merger with Worcester Tennis Club”
Affiliations
- Board Member, Board of Directors of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau
- Board Member, Board of Directors of the Southern Worcester County Economic Development Organization
Previous
- Chairman, Board of Directors of Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce
- Member, Westborough Economic Development Committee
- Finance Committee Member, Worcester Art Museum
- Corporator, Greater Worcester Community Foundation
- Board Member, Board of Directors of Music Worcester, Inc.
- Executive Committee Member, Babson College Real Estate Career Affinity Network
- Member, Asian-American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts
- Member, Massachusetts Bar Association
Honors
- “40 Under Forty,” Worcester Business Journal (2011)
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts
Education
- J.D., magna cum laude, Syracuse University College of Law
- B.S., summa cum laude, Babson College
Permitting and zoning
- Permitting for a highly-publicized $92 million performing arts center
- Acquisition, development and financing of the former Worcester County Courthouse property involving a $53 million development of 117 residential units
- Permitting for numerous transit-oriented developments involving high density multifamily mixed-use projects
- Permitting for various adult-use marijuana retail, cultivation and product manufacturing establishments
- Permitting for a 150,000 square foot office and research facility for an international medical device company
- Permitting for a 139,000 square foot expansion of a collegiate athletic complex
- Permitting for various large-scale public utility infrastructure and improvement projects throughout the Commonwealth, including projects involving two high-profile casino developments
- Serving as an expert zoning witness for a public service corporation with respect to various matters before the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities
Purchase, sales, leasing and licensing
- Highly-publicized purchase and ground leasing of property and permitting for development of a 36,000 square foot academic center
- Purchase, leasing and development of numerous gasoline station and convenience store sites throughout the Commonwealth for publicly-traded and private operators
- Negotiation of a highly-publicized license for semi-pro hockey team
- Purchase and financing of multi-tenant shopping centers
- Purchase and development of a highly publicized 35,000 square foot retreat center
- Purchase of a former hospital site in a multi-phased, 10-year acquisition involving numerous real estate, environmental, zoning and leasing issues
Financing and development
- Financing of a highly-publicized, $33 million, 168-room hotel development
- Historic rehabilitation of a 135,000 square foot former newspaper building complex involving New Markets and historic tax credits
- Financing of a highly-publicized $18 million hockey rink facility and mixed use development
- Leasing and development of large-scale solar photovoltaic generation facilities in various communities, including consultation of one of the largest multi-community solar build outs in the state’s history, with over 50,000 solar panels
Events + Recordings
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Joshua Lee Smith Presented at 8th Annual Woostapreneurs Forum
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Joshua Lee Smith Spoke at Worcester Business Journal’s Central MA Life Sciences Forum
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Annual Economic Development Summit: Multifamily Development and Inclusionary Zoning
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Joshua Lee Smith Moderated “The Business of Cannabis: Highs and Lows of a Growing Industry” at the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Game Changers Business Conference & Expo
Publications
News
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Joshua Lee Smith Quoted in MassLive’s “Worcester Academy head says it’s ‘joining Worcester revitalization’ with new athletic facility”
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Joshua Lee Smith and Mark Borenstein Featured in “Home Field advantage: Local attorneys smooth the path for developers” in the Worcester Business Journal
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Joshua Lee Smith Quoted in “Planning Board OKs plans for 218-unit Shrewsbury Street project” in the Worcester Telegram
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Joshua Lee Smith Quoted in “Latest apartment project in Worcester: 218-unit building off Shrewsbury Street” in the Worcester Telegram
Commercial Real Estate Insight & News
Joshua Lee Smith Quoted in MassLive’s “Worcester Academy head says it’s ‘joining Worcester revitalization’ with new athletic facility”
Annual Economic Development Summit: Multifamily Development and Inclusionary Zoning
Joshua Lee Smith to Speak at Bisnow’s “The Rise of Boston’s Neighborhoods and Importance of Location”