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October 14, 2009
NY appeals court hears arguments on Atlantic Yards
Bergen Record reporter John Brennan made the trip to Albany to report on this afternoon's oral arguments in the appeal of the Atlantic Yards eminent domain case.
Aside from questions about whether the suit was filed in time and if the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) "gerrymandered" the project boundaries to satisfy private developer Bruce Ratner...
The judges also spent several minutes questioning whether New York law allows for eminent domain at a housing project that is not predominantly lower-income.
[Attorney for the plaintiffs Matthew] Brinckerhoff said he was encouraged by the number of questions from the judges about whether the three-block area where his clients are located can fairly be considered “blighted” along with a Metropolitan Transportation Authority-owned rail yard that occupies about one-third of the 21-acre site.
[ESDC attorney Philip] Karmel declined to comment.
In addition to project opponents and critics, some of the usual Ratner-supported supporters made the hike to Albany:
...James Caldwell, a member of Brooklyn United for Local Development, was among the courtroom attendees who back the project.
“Unemployment is so high in our community,” Caldwell said. “We’ve lived in this community for all our lives, and we waited a long time for a developer to come in and let us come to the table with them.”
NetsAre Scorching, Highlights from the Hearings
Posted by lumi at October 14, 2009 8:56 PM