Lawsuits against the Atlantic Yards project continue to fly.
The latest such litigation seeks to annul the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s revised June deal to sell the 8.5-acre Vanderbilt rail yards to developer Bruce Ratner so he can build an arena to house the NBA’s Nets.
It was filed by several local lawmakers, the Straphangers Campaign and local opponent organization Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn,
The $100 million deal has Ratner paying $20 million down and the rest off with interest over 22 years.
Additionally, Ratner will put in $245 million in transit improvements instead of the $345 million he first offered to do before the economy and spate of lawsuits put the total 22-acre arena/housing project in jeopardy.
The lawsuit alleges the MTA violated the Public Authorities Accountability Act of 2005 requiring the agency to get an independent appraisal of the rail yard and seek out competitive offers.
“While the MTA is forcing service cuts and fare increases on the people of New York, they are giving Forest City Ratner just about a free ride. We have laws in this state that forbid these kinds of sweetheart deals. You can’t shortchange the public to benefit a developer,” said lead plaintiff, State Sen. Velmanette Montgomery.
Both the MTA and Ratner refused comment.
The recent litigation comes as DDDB spokesperson Daniel Goldstein and 11 other residents and business owners on the 22-acre site argued last week before the state Court of Appeals that the Empire State Development Corporation is abusing eminent domain to attain the property.
The ESDC successfully argued before a lower court that the area was found blighted as a whole, and the project is a legitimate government use of eminent domain to take property for public purposes.
Also in Albany for the court hearing were several local grassroots groups who have long favored the project.
“We were in Albany to voice our support in terms of wanting to see the project move forward,” said Marie Louis, chief operating officer of BUILD (Brooklyn United for Innovative Development), which received funding from the developer as per a community benefits agreement for local workforce development.
“We also believe these frivolous lawsuits need to be put to rest because all they want to do is delay the project and kill it. The need for jobs and affordable housing is even more intense given the economic climate,” she said.
The Court of Appeals ruling is expected next month.