Constitutional Claims Against Display of Ground Zero Cross Fail on Appeal

Atheist organization claimed that the steel-beam cross found by recovery workers at Ground Zero and displayed in September 11th museum violated Constitutional and State Law.  In July 2011, a coalition including American Atheists, Inc. brought an action against the Port Authority of N.Y. & N.J. and the foundation  responsible for developing, designing and operating the National September 11 Memorial and Museum regarding the display of a large cross in the museum.  The seventeen-foot cross, made … <Read More>


CityLand Recognizes New York City’s Labor History

Labor Day commemorates the history of the labor movement and the social and economic gains of workers in the United States.   New York City has been a location for many significant milestones of labor history.  We here at CityLand document the changes in New York City land use, but we would be remiss to ignore that behind every land use change is the hard labor of American workers, from demolition to construction and all points … <Read More>


City Council Approves Tax Exemption to Preserve Affordable Housing

Dean Atlantic HDFC received property tax exemption for seven buildings.  On August 21, 2014, the City Council voted 47-0 to approve an Article XI property tax exemption on seven buildings owned by the Dean Atlantic Housing Development Finance Corporation.  The Department of Housing Preservation and Development requested the exemption from the City Council on Dean Atlantic’s behalf.  The buildings are all in Brooklyn Community Board 16, covering the Ocean Hill and Brownsville communities.  Six … <Read More>


Fordham Road BID Secures Expansion Approval

Fordham Road BID will incorporate One Fordham Plaza into the Bronx BID.  On July 9, 2014, the City Planning Commission approved the Fordham Road District Management Association’s application to expand the Fordham Road Business Improvement District to include two new lots located directly to the east of the existing BID.  The new lots are bounded by East Fordham Road to the north, East 189th Street to the south, Park Avenue to the east, and Washington … <Read More>


City Residents Fail in Last-Ditch Attempt to Block Construction of Solid Waste Facility

A federal judge has dismissed an action brought by New York City residents challenging the re-development of a marine waste transfer station. On July 10, 2014, U.S. District Court Judge Paul A. Crotty (S.D.N.Y.) dismissed claims against the City and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, clearing the way for development of a marine waste transfer station at 91st Street and the FDR Drive.


Lawyers, Trials and Judges: Tales from the Southern District

When trial lawyers gather they tell stories. When older trial lawyers gather they tell the same stories over and over, only they tell them better and better. James Zirin, trial lawyer and an assistant in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District during the 1960’s, is a born story teller. His new book, The Mother Court: Tales of Cases That Mattered in America’s Greatest Trial Court (ABA Publishing 2014) tells the tales of lawyers … <Read More>