On December 3rd the Appellate Division by a 3-2 vote ruled The exercise of eminent domain power by the New York State Urban Development Corporation d/b/a Empire State Development Corporation benefit a private elite education institution is violative of the Taking Clause of the U.S Constitution, article 1 & 7 of the New York Constitution and the first principles of the social contract. In a scathing decision the court detailed a riveting account of Columbia Universitys collusion with the State to gain 100% of a 17 acre parcel expanding from 125th to 133rd Street between 12th Avenue and Broadway at a projected cost of 6 billion dollars. Two separate lawsuits challenging the eminent domain determination were filed by Tuck-It-Away storage owned by Nick Sprayregen and Parminder Kaur, owner of a gas station in the development parcel. Sprayregens lead attorneys were noted civil rights attorney Norman Siegel and attorney Philip Van Buren. Columbia University has indicated it will appeal the decision. Nellie Bailey sits at Still Here Harlem Productions studio with allthingsharlem.com.