Don’t miss the New York Appellate Division opinion by Justice Catterson, just handed down (2009 NYSlip Op 08976 (Dec. 3, 2009), holding the proposed eminent domain taking in Manhattanville for the expansion of Columbia University, to be an impermissible attempt to take private property for private use.
What makes this opinion – In re Parminder Kaur v. N.Y. State Urban Dev. Corp. — outstanding is its detailed exposition of the chicanery involved in this caper, including everything from record manipulation, due process violations, all the way to encouraging physical blighting of the project area. This is a must read.
You will undoubtedly hear more about this decision, but for now check it out for yourself. It’s a good read if ever there was one. For the text of the opinion go to http://tinyurl.com/yf7d98d
For the New York Times story on this decision go to http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/court-rules-against-columbia-university/
For the Wall Street Journal’s take go to http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2009/12/03/eminent-domain-month-continues-kelo-no-help-for-columbias-plans/