Altantic Yards arguments before Court of Appeals in Albany today

Today’s oral arguments before the New York Court of Appeals in Goldstein, et al. v. New York State Urban Development Corporation d/b/a/ Empire State Development Corporation begin at 2:00 PM (EST) and are available via webcast.

If you would like to follow along with live blog commentary by OCA Member-Attorney, Robert Thomas, visit his inversecondemnation blog here.

Land owners and other opponents to the Atlantic Yards re-development project have argued that this economic development taking is specifically contrary to the eminent domain provision of New York’s Constitution and constitutes an abuse of the government’s power. With the sting of Kelo still fresh in the minds and hearts of many Americans, Goldstein v. New York is a case to watch.

“The state is taking my home and other people’s homes, not for the public use, but to give an extraordinary benefit to the developer. It’s not a public use. For the government to take my home to enrich any developer…is wrong and I believe is illegal.”

– Daniel Goldstein, lead plaintiff, as quoted in the Wall Street Journal 10/14/09

See also Daniel Goldstein’s editorial about the Atlantic Yards Project and the fight he and his neighbors have undertaken to save their homes and businesses at Reason online here.

UPDATE: We watched today’s oral arguments before the New York Court of Appeals and followed the live blog hosted by Robert Thomas, participants included Hawaii land use attorney Mark Murakami and Pacific Legal Foundation’s Timothy Sandefur. It seems that the participants in Robert’s live blog commentary would agree that counsel for Petitioners/Landowners had a strong rebuttal with solid argument and responses to the Court’s questions. So now begins the wait and see game until the Court rules.

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