Breaking: Court Won't Stop Ratner Demolitions

Manhattan State Supreme Court Justice Joan Madden has declined to issue a Temporary Restraining Order to block Forest City Ratner's demolition of buildings within the Atlantic Yards footprint. A hearing on the challenge to the state’s environmental review and approval of the project, as well as a motion for a preliminary injunction, will be heard in court on May 3rd. According to Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, "The court expressly stated that in making today's TRO decision it was not pre-judging the merits of petitioners claims filed on April 5th." The developer will start working on demolishing nine buildings before the May 3 hearing. "It is deeply troubling that Ratner will move ahead with these mass demolitions" before any litigation is decided, said DDDB spokesman Daniel Goldstein.