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February 6, 2007
Court papers hint at heated eminent domain arguments in court tomorrow
Atlantic Yards Report
According to the legal memoranda filed in the Atlantic Yards eminent domain case, the hearing hearing tomorrow at 2 p.m. in Brooklyn federal court should be a lively one.
The defendants--city and state officials, the Empire State Development Corporation (ERSDC), and developer Forest City Ratner--are asking the court to dismiss the case, while the 13 plaintiffs--owners and tenants within the proposed project footprint--want the case to proceed so the court can order discovery, or the exchange of documents.
Norman Oder examines arguments from both sides of the law suit, which hinge on whether the purpose of Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards project is to provide a public benefit, the "arena, housing, transit improvements, open space, and the elimination of blight," or if these elements are merely incidental benefits of a collusive relationship between a favored private developer and local and state government.
Posted by lumi at February 6, 2007 8:48 AM