The Duffield Eminent Domain Battle Continues
The first public hearing since HPD’s recent admission that it failed to properly enter its 2003 “blight study” into the public record took place yesterday at CUNY in Downtown Brooklyn, just blocks from the 21 properties the city has targeted for eminent domain seizure. According to the organized opposition, “That means that the City Council…
The first public hearing since HPD’s recent admission that it failed to properly enter its 2003 “blight study” into the public record took place yesterday at CUNY in Downtown Brooklyn, just blocks from the 21 properties the city has targeted for eminent domain seizure. According to the organized opposition, “That means that the City Council approved the use of eminent domain in Downtown Brooklyn without ever seeing the document that justified it.” Among the 21 properties are houses on Duffield Street that have been linked to the Underground Railroad. Council Member Tish James has fought the city’s efforts, calling the Economic Development Corp. “an agency that has no oversight and does not take social or historical impacts into consideration.” The city views the properties as crucial to its plan to reinvigorate Dowtown Brooklyn by attracting private investment to the area. Acquisition of property is critical and necessary for Willoughby Square to move forward — and without Willoughby Square, much of this new investment, and therefore businesses, jobs and housing, will not happen, said Joe Chan, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. You buying it?
History Key in Objections to Brooklyn Rebuild [Newsday]
City Gives Downtown Brooklyn ED Hearing Another Try [Brooklyn Eagle]
City Reevaluating Duffield St. Eminent Domain Plan [Brownstoner]
HPD OK’s Seizure of Duffield St. Homes [Brownstoner]
Abolition Panel a Salve for Duffield Street Concerns? [Brownstoner]
Duffield Preservationists Fight Back with Lawsuit [Brownstoner]
Acquisition of the Duffield and Gold property is critical and necessary for Joe Chan to have a job. Willoughby Square doesn’t need to take those historical homes.
Who is Joe Chan? He is merely a man looking out for himself. He was formerly connected with the Bloomberg administration.He’s making his own personal connections with these government + private sector arrangements. Joe Chan was featured in the Brooklyn Paper in the lost money stories.
There is an abuse of eminent domain here. Brooklyn is about people, not about self serving politicians and crooked businessmen.
She’s like Star Jones… “I’m a lawya…” 😉
No, but term limits are (thank God). While lobbying may not be occurring, there are plenty of constituents and organizations that are not going to miss her adolescent, 60s style approach to politics.
just a note on councilperson James. I have my daughter in PS 11- which is a rapdily improving school. Part of the reason I felt comfortable placing her there was that when I first visited three years ago Ms. James was there to announce a grant that she had secured for the school. I know that she and her office are extremely responsive to the community on this and other matters.
Frankly, I doubt that the community is lobbying her to stop working on their behalf.
I suspect that this delay is window-dressing and done so that developers can look back and claim that they went “the extra mile” when trying to work with the community. Then, in the end, the original plan will be realized.
Which is OK by me. Despite what the shriekers claim, there is no solid evidence that these homes were connected to the underground railroad. And, aside from agreeing with everything that they claim or propose, there is simply no way to appease them.
As always, Letitia James wastes valuable time fighting a losing battle. Meanwhile, issues like crime and low quality schools in her district go unaddressed.
Whether these buildings are of historical significance because of a possible relationship to the Underground Railroad is not my major concern. My concern is an abuse of eminent domain. Homes along Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge were torn down to make way for the Verrazano Bridge. I am certain that the people whose homes were lost did not agree the decision. However, the bridge was a public project that benefits many more people than were inconvenienced – and I use that term lightly. Eminent domain is now being used to benefit private developers at the expense of the poor who of course live in the blighted areas.