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March 14, 2008
Paterson Could Derail Development
NY Sun
If David Paterson as governor displays the opposition to eminent domain that he showed as a state senator, several high-profile development projects in New York City could be derailed or delayed, including a Columbia University expansion, the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, and the transformation of Willets Point in Queens.
As a state Senate leader, Mr. Paterson in 2005 held a rally with Council Member Letitia James and state Senator William Perkins on the steps of City Hall during which he called for a statewide moratorium on the use of eminent domain.
Mr. Paterson said a decision handed down by the Supreme Court in the Kelo v. City of New London case could lead to a “gold rush” of eminent domain use across the state, The New York Sun reported at the time. He said he would gather legislators and introduce legislation to impose a moratorium on its use.
“He stood with me and proposed some legislation and I am very hopeful that the lieutenant governor and soon-to-be governor will honor his commitment and will either issue a moratorium or review the abuse of eminent domain across New York City,” Ms. James said yesterday in an interview.
Ms. James’s district is in Brooklyn, and she opposes developer Bruce Ratner’s $4 billion Atlantic Yards project near downtown Brooklyn, which would require use of eminent domain.
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At a press conference yesterday Mr. Paterson was asked how his policies differed from Mr. Spitzer’s. His response suggested that positions he previously held had not changed very much.“There are some points of view I guess that I’ve changed over the years, but I’m pretty much the same person,” he said.
Mr. Ratner is planning to build a basketball arena and 16 mostly residential towers on 22 acres in Prospect Heights. The plans would remake the low-rise neighborhood with 8 million square feet of development, including more than 6,000 apartments, “affordable” housing, and office and retail space in a complex designed by architect Frank Gehry.
As usual:
A spokesman for Forest City Ratner declined comment.
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn posted running commentary on the Sun article.
Posted by lumi at March 14, 2008 5:26 AM