Dec 1, 2009 6:04 am US/Eastern
B'klyn Family Battles New York Over Eminent Domain
Last Family Remaining In Apartment Building On Site Of Atlantic Yards Says They Won't Budge
Reporting
Lou Young
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
-
-
The Goldstein family is the only family remaining at 636 Pacific Street, part of the site where the New Jersey Nets' new arena is expected to be built.
CBS
The fight over property rights is getting ugly in Brooklyn. Homeowners living in the way of a new stadium projects say they'll go on fighting despite losing a major court battle. CBS 2 met the central figure in the battle who has seen almost all of his neighbors move away.
Atlantic Yards is the site in Brooklyn where developer Bruce Ratner plans to build a massive construction project anchored by a brand new basketball stadium for the New Jersey Nets, even if has to force the last few unwilling residents to move out. At 636 Pacific Street, it's coming down to high noon, a half-dozen years in the making.
"This'll be the largest project in the history of Brooklyn. It'll be larger than the footprint of the World Trade Center," said Dan Goldstein, a condo owner on the site. "They're stealing my property. My property is not for sale, but they're going to make me sell it to them if we lose this next round of litigation."
Six years ago all the apartments in Goldstein's building were all occupied. There were 31 units in the building, but that was before Atlantic Yards was announced and everybody wound up moved out over the course of 18 months.
On Monday there is one hold-out: the Goldstein family. They are the only occupants on the floor, the only occupants in the building, and they say they're not going anywhere.
"This about the principle – should a citizen of New York State have to the greatest powers of the state who want to take my property and hand it over to a billionaire," said Goldstein.
Goldstein lives in the building with his wife and daughter. Some believe they are just getting in the way.
"Over a couple of hold-outs? I don't know, I think for over a few people they should compromise," said Brooklyn resident Robert Marion.
Matthew Brinkerhoff represents a total of 10 clients who are in the way and want to stay. He said the recession, among other things has made the project's promise of affordable housing to go with stadium a bad bet.
"They are seeking to take their homes based on facts that existed three years ago and no longer exist and everyone knows they no longer exist," he told CBS 2.
There are still four active lawsuits. Ratner predicts the Nets will be playing in their new stadium by the 2011 season in Brooklyn. A spokesman for Ratner Monday told CBS 2 the developer expects to sell $700 million in tax-free bonds that should be issued this week to help finance the project.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
World's Most Useless Facts
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT 13 mins ago 
NYers Hunker Down In Face Of Blizzard Warning 7 mins ago 
Stumble It!
Comments