(Photo by Monika N.)

Last week, we wrote about the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) requesting the park boundary be amended in 2008 knowing that events were held at the Tobacco Warehouse. This is after they stated in a letter that “These former warehouse buildings [the Empire Stores and Tobacco Warehouse] are not suitable for nor used by the public for outdoor recreational opportunities in the park.” Our question was, what motives did OPRHP have to amend the LWCF grant boundaries?

Yesterday, local community organizations, FFLA, Brooklyn Heights Association and the NY Landmarks Conservancy filed suit to stop a secret expropriation of the Tobacco Warehouse. According to the FFLA website:

“We are seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the transfer of the Tobacco Warehouse, designated as part of parkland since 2000, to private hands. This primary action is in Federal Court, against the Natonal Park Service (NPS). We also filed a secondary action in NY State Supreme Court against the New York State Office of Parks (NYSOP) and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation (BBPC) requesting a court order to prevent officials from providing false and misleading information to the National Park Service.”

See more on Brownstoner, NYDN, and Brooklyn Heights Blog.