Columbia eminent domain case heads to court

Columbia University is set to take its eminent domain case to the New York Court of Appeals today, according to Crain’s, in an effort to secure space for its proposed $6 billion, 17-acre expansion. The appeal comes on the heels of the court’s vehement denial of Columbia’s effort to use eminent domain to seize the land. The Empire State Development Corp has determined that the area where the school wanted to expand was blighted, which would have allowed Columbia to step in and take the land. But a series of legal actions from residents blocked the university from going through with its plan. A decision is expected from the court sometime this summer. [Crain’s]