Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Atlantic Yards Development Wins in Court, Opponents to Appeal
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 27, 2009
Modified Feb 27, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 27, 2009
Modified Feb 27, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A State Appellate Court gave Bruce Ratner's embattled Brooklyn development plans a big boost yesterday, ruling that an environmental impact review conducted by the Empire State Development Corporation [ESDC] was properly completed. Opponents of the multi-billion dollar project, which in its first phase would build a basketball stadium and two residential towers, argue that Ratner exerted "inappropriate influence" over the ESDC and disagree with the assessment that property seized for the development was blighted. The Brooklyn Paper notes that real-estate values were in fact rising in the area when the project was unveiled, and yesterday one of the judges wrote a separate opinion disagreeing with the blight finding, opining that the ESDC was "ultimately being used as a tool of the developer to displace and destroy neighborhoods that are 'underutilized.' "Opponents will ask the Court of Appeals to review the ruling. And on Monday oral arguments were heard in a second lawsuit challenging the state’s use of eminent domain; that ruling is expected this spring.
Tagged
Atlantic Yards
Bruce Ratner
court
development
lawsuit
ruling
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Rain could put a damper on NYC’s long weekend. Here’s when it will clear.
Remnants of Hurricane Isaias could bring more than an inch of rain, gusty winds and even a thunderstorm Sunday before conditions improve Monday.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Oct 10, 2026 at 10:57 a.m. ET
Holy civics! NYC schools' own comic books in the spotlight at Comic Con
Comic Con continues through Sunday.
By
Jessica Gould
News
Holy civics! NYC schools' own comic books in the spotlight at Comic Con
Comic Con continues through Sunday.
By
Jessica Gould
What we know about the ICE shooting in NYC
By
Karen Yi
DSA to Mamdani: Fire NYPD commissioner if ICE doesn't leave NYC
By
Elizabeth Kim
,
Brigid Bergin
and
Ben Feuerherd
Two people killed in Bronx vehicle crash
By
Kaya Laterman
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .