After eight years, two lawsuits, countless delays, & three city reversals, the plan for a mall at Willets Point has finally been defeated. And much like the Mets these days, it lost badly.
In a 5-1 decision, the Appeals Court upheld a lower court ruling that held the owners of the Mets could not build a mall on city-owned parkland. The land in question, the former site of Shea Stadium, which was demolished in 2008, is currently the Mets parking lot. A 1961 law allowed that parkland to be used for stadium purposes, a cut-out that a mall would not have satisfied, the court found.
“There is no dispute that the Willets West development is proposed to be constructed entirely on city parkland,” the judges wrote, continuing that the “public trust doctrine,” which dictates the uses for public lands “is ancient and firmly established in our precedent.” Nowhere in the Mets owners arguments, was a mall found to be in line with the public trust doctrine, the court found.
The Mets owners were arguing that by using the mall to fund the remediation of Willets Point (a parcel of land on the other side of their current stadium), and eventually the construction of both affordable housing and a school, the mall was fulfilling the public trust doctrine. The court found that too to be unconvincing, and also didn’t believe the Mets owners were actually going to build the housing or schools.
But wait...these tweeders may not yet be finished! From NY1:
Although the ruling does block the developer from moving forward, the legislature can still step in and intervene.
The legislature would have to vote to use the land for Willets West for non-park purposes. It would also have to find a replacement property to designate as parkland.
23 comments:
So it was a 5-1 decision. I guess they were only able to bribe one of the judges.
But can they build a homeless shelter?
A shelter would be appropriate since so many vagrants live in the parks anyway...
That wimp Schneiderman, who recently just slapped Scumlord Steve Croman on the wrist, might seal the deal for the loser Wilpons since he got campaign funding plums from their development group.
The Wilpons greed is causing almost karmic damage to the Mets.
Hurrah!
Likely to be overturned eventually, right? Then a huge building/mall will be built, which will remain half empty as retail continues to die, and will fall to crap. Ever drive by the Meadowlands in NJ? The empty mall built in 2007 that never opened and no one can figure out what to do with? It's coming to Queens.
Well, they'll go to the State Legislature, who will probably vote to give them the land.
Thank you Paul Graziano and Tony Avella, if it wasn't for them we would be living in crap. They have saved our community time and time again.
Great! Good to see these cold fish eyed pair finally get shafted up the ass!
There's going to be a soccer stadium instead. Julissa wanted a mall, but she's leaving. The land is oo valuable to be allowed to sit as a parking lot and they aren't going to be able to find other vacant land nearby to turn into parkland, they couldn't even turn St. Saviour's into a park. The law already states that a stadium can be built there; we're getting a soccer stadium.
I read on Facebook that Al Centola is saying he was also a plaintiff. Is this true or is he trying to take credit that isnt his! Anyone?
Let me Google that for you:
"The plaintiffs include Paul Graziano, Ben Haber, and Alfredo Centola who have prominently opposed a spate of recent proposals for new or enlarged sports venues in the Park, as well as the shopping center."
Anonymous said...
Well, they'll go to the State Legislature, who will probably vote to give them the land.
AND THE LEGISLATURE WILL FIND A WAY TO PAY FOR THE MALL TOO!
Ben Haber has been fighting for Flushing Meadows-Corona Park for decades.
God bless his tenacity.
They couldn't afford the payoffs after they lost that Madoff money.
Who would trust these clowns with a construction project anyway?
Soccer fields. This, Active civic leader
Al Centola for office.
Great news but they will not stop until they get what they want !
Is that Stan Laurel on the left?
They couldn't afford the payoffs after they lost that Madoff money.
Which is why they didn't resign Daniel Murphy, currently hitting .333. And the indelible fact that the Wilpons are greedy and stupid.
How can anyone ever think of putting a shopping mall on that spot? Can anyone imagine how it would impact rush hour traffic by having a mall, an expanded La Guardia Airport, Citifield game traffic, and countless cars heading to the Bronx bridges and Long Island All AT THE SAME TIME! Who's planning this, an orangutan?
Thank You Paul Graziano, Ben Haber, and Alfredo Centola !
Yesterday on the news I heard 1/4 of the malls in the US will close within 5 years. Who in their right mind would put a mall there. There is no public transportation and no foot traffic the only way people will get there is by car and when they have the Met's or the US Open or other big events try driving there. We have enough malls and there are plenty of empty stores in my neighborhood. What we will need is our parks, God only made so much land.
Pave over Willets Pt and build a causeway with shuttle bus service to LGA . Use it as a parking lot for LGA this will relieve the space limitations while rebuilding LGA.
Shea Stadium was sinking 1 inch per year in the right field corner from day 1. The land is marsh. I'm sure Shitifield is sinking as we speak. I'm sure a mall, housing or whatever they think they're going to build on that marsh land is going to begin to sink into the marsh as soon as they start building it so good luck to the geniuses that want to build there. The on;y winners are the architects and construction companies with a front row seat cast in gold to watch the spectacle of the sinking ship (literally). A waste of resources, money and time.
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