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New Jersey Nets officially moving to Brooklyn

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Halu Sination:
Nets' Brooklyn move clears hurdle

The proposed Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn — scheduled to be the Nets' future home — earned a court victory Thursday when a New York appellate panel rejected a lawsuit by community activists who oppose the plan.

The suit, which is unrelated to a case heard last week involving the use of eminent domain at the site, charged that the Empire State Development Corp.'s environmental review of the site was inadequate. The groups — led by Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn — contended, among other complaints, that the state agency did not analyze the risk of a terrorist attack at the site and that the proposed construction schedule was "irrational."

Three judges, however, wrote in a 13-page majority opinion that "our power to review the substantive adequacy of an [environmental impact statement] is extremely limited."

The panel also said it recognized that the objectors are concerned about the effects of a multibillion-dollar housing and arena project on the neighborhood.

"Those concerns, however, have relatively little to do with the project's legality and nearly everything to do with its socioeconomic and aesthetic desirability, matters upon which we may not [rule]," the judges concluded.

Judge James Catterson, however, charged in an eight-page concurring opinion that the state agency was "being used as a tool of the developer [Forest City Ratner] to displace and destroy neighborhoods." Catterson criticized the way in which the agency has undertaken the land-use approval process since 2005. He wrote that the agency acted, in one instance, "sparing not a minute for reflection."

But Catterson added that because much of the site legitimately could be considered in need of redevelopment, he had to "reluctantly" defer to the ESDC's conclusions.

"While I deplore the destruction of the neighborhood in this fashion, I cannot say, as a matter of law, that the ESDC did not have sufficient evidence of record to find 'blight,' " Catterson wrote.

Jeffrey Baker, attorney for the community groups, said their next step would be the Court of Appeals, New York's highest court.

"This case will provide the Court of Appeals an opportunity to make it clear that judicial review is not a meaningless exercise," Baker said, while referring to Nets owner Bruce Ratner as "a developer with political connections."

The Nets hope to break ground by mid-2009 and move into their 18,000-seat Barclays Center in 2011.

"This project has been reviewed as thoroughly as any in the city, and now it is time to put these cases behind us and get to work," Ratner said in a statement.

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/nets/40407352.html

white Boy:
nobody or anything should ever go to Brooklyn

DJ SUGAFREE QUIK:

--- Quote from: white Boy on February 27, 2009, 03:37:59 PM ---nobody or anything should ever go to Brooklyn

--- End quote ---
Why not?  I mainly don't understand why the Nets just didn't move with the Devils to the Prudential Center instead? 

Hatesrats™:
I assume they already have LeBron's jersey sized up and ready to go.
(Sad day for Clev fan's)

LooN3y:
yea isnt lebron supposed to be going there?

doesn jayz also have part ownership of the franchise?

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