The Underberg Is Falling Down

Forest City Ratner could begin demolishing the Underberg building as early as next week, spokesman Joe DePlasco told us, now that an appellate judge denied a motion for a temporary restraining order Tuesday. All that is needed now is a permit from the city Department of Buildings.

But they better hurry. Opponents of the Atlantic Yards project will get another chance to delay the demolitions of several buildings—the Underberg will be just the first--when they file a motion for a preliminary injunction March 1, according to Candace Carponter, spokeswoman for the opposition group Develop—Don’t Destroy Brooklyn. That preliminary injunction, if successful, would forestall all tear-downs until a full hearing the week of March 13.

No action Tuesday on the more unusual and far-reaching part of this case which the activists won last week: David Paget’s conflict of interest. That decision, appealed by Empire State Development Corporation, will be reviewed at the full hearing.

-Matthew Schuerman