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February 13, 2006
Day in Court for Plaintiffs Suing Forest City Ratner and The Empire State Development Corporation
Hearing on a Preliminary Injunction
Tuesday, February 14th. 9:30am Supreme Court of the State of New York 60 Centre Street, ROOM #228 Manhattan*
Plaintiffs Seek Injunction on Developer's Proposed Building Demolitions and Disqualification of Conflicted Attorney Who Rubber-stamped Demolition Approval
Tomorrow, February 14th, over a dozen plaintiffs will have their day in court–New York County Supreme Court–at a hearing on a preliminary injunction on six building demolitions by Forest City Ratner (FCR) in the developer's proposed "Atlantic Yards" footprint. The suit was filed on January 18th against FCR and the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC).
The suit also seeks the disqualification of ESDC's attorney David Paget for a conflict of interest–Mr. Paget represents the state agency charged with conducting an objective environmental review and approval process on the "Atlantic Yards" proposal, while he has also represented FCR on the very same "Atlantic Yards" proposal. The lawsuit claims that Mr. Paget rubber-stamped the developer's legally necessary request to demolish buildings without taking a "hard look" at the condition of the buildings in question.
Plaintiffs question the need for demolition, and seek an injunction on the demolitions until the ESDC takes the "hard look" mandated by law. To date the developer has not allowed an independent review of the buildings in question, refusing to allow analysis by an independent structural engineer.
In the past week South Brooklyn Legal Services joined the lawsuit as counsel for four low-income tenants who live in the proposed footprint. Additionally City Councilwoman Letitia James, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, and Congressman Major Owens filed an amicus, "friend of the court," brief in support of the plaintiffs.
All information and documents regarding the lawsuit can be found at: http://www.dddb.net/litigation
WHAT:
Court Date for hearing on a preliminary injunction on the lawsuit filed January 18th by:
Develop Don't Destroy
Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association
Fort Greene Association
Boerum Hill Association
Fifth Avenue Committee
East Pacific Block Association
Prospect Heights Action Coalition
Pratt Area Community Council
Society For Clinton Hill
Dean Street Block Association (4th To 5th Ave.)
Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council
Pacific Carlton Development Corp.
WHERE:
Supreme Court of the State of NY
60 Centre Street in Manhattan. ROOM #228
WHEN:
Tuesday. February 14. 9:30 AM
DEVELOP DON’T DESTROY BROOKLYN leads a broad-based community coalition
fighting for development that will unite our communities instead of dividing and destroying them. http://www.developdontdestroy.orgwww.developdontdestroy.org
Posted by lumi at February 13, 2006 1:44 PM