A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit by a group of businessmen hoping to block the redevelopment of an industrial area near the New York Mets' new stadium.
U.S. District Judge Edward Korman said Wednesday that he was dismissing the lawsuit brought by the Willets Point Industry and Realty Association.
The suit accused the city of neglecting the gritty zone while it worked on plans to seize the land and redevelop it as homes, shops and offices.
Once a swamp and a garbage dump, Willets Point is now a jumble of scrap yards and auto repair shops. It lacks sidewalks or sewers.
The judge says the city properly concluded that it didn't make sense to spend a lot on infrastructure and services before a redevelopment plan was finalized.
The ruling came a day after New York's highest court ruled the state can seize private property for the 22-acre Atlantic Yards development.
