June 30, 2005, NY Times — Ruling in a lawsuit against a proposed Ikea furniture store in Red Hook, a state judge has upheld the city’s approval of the project. The decision, by Judge Karen S. Smith of State Supreme Court in Manhattan, was dated Monday but released yesterday, and it completes the public review part of the development process. The company still needs permits for work on the Erie Basin waterfront from the State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Army Corps of Engineers. The lawsuit sought to void several land use approvals, declare zoning changes for the project illegal, and block construction. The suit contended that the company’s plans for a 346,000-square-foot store with 1,400 parking spaces on a 22-acre site would overwhelm the neighborhood.
Metro Briefing [NY Times, 2nd Item]
Judge Axes Ikea Foes’ Suit [NY Daily News]


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