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November 21, 2009
Kelo v. New London, Part II – Eminent domain for Atlantic Yards in New York
RadioVice
This review of the eminent domain case pending with the New York State Court of Appeals includes a mention of the questionable criteria used to declare the area in the proposed Atlantic Yards project footprint as blighted and a contrast with how use of eminent domain worked out in New London.
It seems that less than half of the 22 acres of the proposed redevelopment area contain a below grade rail yard used by the MTA, and, (perish the thought) there are growing weeds and graffiti on some of the properties. Thus, the consultants rationalize, the entire 22 acres is blighted, subject to what amounts to a seizure of private property by government for use by a private developer.
And, how is that Kelo deal working out, you ask? At the time of the decision, Mr. Justice Stevens insisted that:
The city [of New London] has carefully formulated a development plan that it believes will provide appreciable benefits to the community, including, but not limited to, new jobs and increased tax revenue.
This carefully formulated plan essentially gave Ms. Kelo’s land to a private developer to construct a hotel, office buildings, etc. to “enhance” Pfizer’s existing nearby research and development headquarters.
Almost four and one half years after the Supreme Court’s decision, the city of New London has spent $78 million to bulldoze the properties so taken by the city, no development has occurred on that property, nor is any likely to occur anytime soon, and, were that not enough, Pfizer has announced it is closing it’s facility in New London.
Posted by steve at November 21, 2009 4:44 AM