The Use of Eminent Domain for the New Penn Station Project

The development of the area around Penn Station will be a major transformation of the area. At thirty-three acres, the project will surpass the size of Rockefeller Center, the last comparable development in Midtown, completed more than 80 years ago. With a scope not seen in decades, the development will require the acquisition of a number buildings for public use, by way of eminent domain. In a brief 15 minute discussion, Herrick’s Eminent Domain Practice lead, Jennifer Polovetsky and former partner Philip Sanchez, discuss why eminent domain is being used in this development, what exactly “public use” means, and why you need someone skilled in this area of the law to partner with you if you find yourself with a letter from the government about taking your property.