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August 24, 2007
Financial Firm Swept Up In Eminent Domain Decision in Brooklyn
City Has No Project to Replace 150-Employee Firm
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
By Sarah Ryley
The future of a financial services firm and its 150 employees is fraught with uncertainty now that the city has approved the use of eminent domain to seize the company’s building within the BAM Cultural District.
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) issued its eminent domain ruling on Monday, which concerned Track Data Corporation’s property along with 20 others on three blocks in Fort Greene and Downtown Brooklyn. There is no project planned to replace Track Data, which set up shop at 95 Rockwell Pl. two decades ago, “when there were crack vials on the ground and nobody wanted to come here,” said one employee.
Duffield St. Undergound posted this article yesterday and commented, "Seth Donlin, an HPD spokesman says that eminent domain is used to obtain consolidated pieces of property so comprehensive redevelopment plans can be realized. In practice, this means that Brooklyn-based companies are no longer welcome."
NoLandGrab: The fact that there are currently no plans for development on that site, yet the City is proceeding with the eminent domain condemnation, sounds outrageous, right?
If that doesn't already suck, would you believe that homeowners in New London tried to plead that very point in the case that went to the US Supreme Court, and in the landmark decision, Kelo v. New London, the court upheld the constitutionality of taking of property for a redevelopment plan, even when the plan does not specify what the property will be used for.
This part of the Kelo case didn't get as much airtime as the general unfairness of private property being seized for private developers, but eminent domain watchdogs were deeply troubled by this further expansion of what is allowed by the Supreme Court.
Posted by lumi at August 24, 2007 9:26 AM