Eminent Domain: Forest City and Bloomfield sever ties in redevelopment project

Bloomfield Bride

"After five years, it's a parting of the ways... We are still committed to doing the downtown; we still will do the downtown." - Mayor Raymond McCarthy  in Local Source Breaking News 

The buzz about Forest City and Bloomfield is confirmed. Forest City is out.  The important question is: Who's in? According to Baristanet, McCarthy says the council has not selected another developer.

The removal of Forest City is a positive sign for the small business property owners fighting eminent domain. It doesn't mean the legal battle is over. It doesn't mean that Bloomfield has abandoned the blight designation or the threat to acquire the properties by eminent domain.

As reported on Local Source, the six property owners are skeptical, but optimistic. After all, they've been running their businesses under the threat of condemnation by Forest City for several years. As Bloomfield property owner Victor Lewis said, "Until the next - whatever they want to call it, 'uprising' - is, I'm assuming I'm not going to even hear from them."  

 

 

Written By:Richard Chaiken On January 24, 2007 1:45 PM

Bill:
Is redevelopment really the problem? Should all redevelopment be stopped?
Wouldn't all problems vanish if ... when Blight is declared, the area must be simultaneously rezoned to permit the proposed redevelopment. This should be accomplished before acquisition. Then the property owners would participate in the value added through the new project(s).
Everyone benefits from this.
Dick

Post A Comment / Question






Remember personal info?