BLOG: Condemnation Law
Thomas Edison Battery Building Moving Towards Redevelopment
The Thomas Edison Battery Building in downtown West Orange is moving closer to being redeveloped. According to Karen Yi of the West Orange Patch, the Council passed two ordinances on first reading and a resolution authorizing issuance of bonds to pay for the municipality’s share of the development costs. Some residents voiced concerned about the... Read More
Eminent Domain Abuse Sign is Protected Speech
The United States Supreme Court declined to review a lower court’s decision which held that part of an ordinance adopted by St. Louis, Missouri, to force the removal of a sign protesting eminent domain violated the property owner’s First Amendment right to free speech. In 2007, the property owner commissioned a 360-square-foot mural which proclaimed... Read More
DuPont to Redevelop Pompton Lakes?
As reported in NorthJersey.com, Pompton Lakes leadership is contemplating whether to demolish every single building in the central business district fronting on Wanaque Avenue. The concept would be to build multi-story buildings with 400 units above street-level retail uses. However, it appears that the plan is contingent upon DuPont coming to the table and cleaning... Read More
Buonocore Named Eminent Domain Lawyer of the Year
Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, has named McKirdy & Riskin’s John H. Buonocore, Jr. as the “Newark Area Best Lawyers Eminent Domain and Condemnation Lawyer of the Year” for 2012. Best Lawyers is designating “Lawyers of the Year” in high-profile legal specialties in large legal communities. Only a single lawyer... Read More
Appellate Division Gives Train Case One-way Ticket Back to ALJ with Remand
Norfolk Southern Railway Company petitioned the New Jersey Department of Transportation for authorization to acquire the neighboring property owned by Intermodal Properties, LLC, by eminent domain after the property owner refused an arms-length sale. Railroads, as a public utility, can receive authorization under N.J.S.A. 48:12-35.1 once they show that the land is needed for a... Read More
More on Fort Lee Redevelopment
As recently blogged here, Fort Lee recently revisited the former Helmsley property in the Borough as one of its redevelopment areas. The newest group of redevelopers slated to tackle an allegedly blighted area are confident that they can succeed where others have failed. NorthJersey.com reports that Bergen County developer James Demetrakis, Esq. has teamed up with... Read More
Jury Awards Double NJ Transit's Offer for Property Taken by Eminent Domain
The families who owned the Mother’s Park and Ridelot in Wayne, New Jersey were awarded $2.6 million in just compensation by Passaic County jury last week for the taking of their property through eminent domain by NJ Transit. The property was originally acquired by DJ Properties to be converted to a restaurant, but the owner... Read More
California Redevelopment Law No Longer a Blight to Property Owners
In December 2011, the California Supreme Court upheld legislation dissolving the State’s redevelopment agencies which must now turn over their property tax revenues to the State. Dissolving the redevelopment agencies was part of cost-cutting measures taken by Governor Jerry Brown to address a massive budget shortfall. Approving the Court’s decision, critics of the redevelopment agencies... Read More
Eminent Domain Going Nuclear!
The people of Vermont are up in arms about the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions license renewal issued to Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. The plant sits on the Connecticut River in Vernon Vermont and provides about 35% of the energy for the entire state of Vermont. Photo courtesy of www.vtdigger.org The license was renewed by the... Read More
Speedwell Redevelopment Plan Approved
The Morristown Town Council unanimously approved the Speedwell Redevelopment Plan last evening. This plan calls for the development of 650 new housing units and 40,000 square feet of retail space over three phases. The first phase of the project calls for the redeveloper to construct 268 housing units on a Morristown DPW property off of early... Read More
