With the Willets Point eminent domain fight headed for court, the Times this weekend reminded us of another David vs. Bloomberg land-seizure battle, this one on East 125th Street in Harlem. The city will likely win its battle to build the huge East Harlem Media, Entertainment and Cultural Center, so what makes this eminent domain case different? The locals blame the government for blighting the area (through years of letting city-owned land lie fallow), and at least one judge agrees. But that judge still ruled against the businesses, because "there is no longer any judicial oversight of eminent domain proceedings." Somewhere, Bruce Ratner is smiling. [NYT]
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