Brooklyn Public Library wants to seize Dyker branch building
“The Brooklyn Public Library wants to close the book on its $20,000-a-month lease on its McKinley Park branch — by having the city seize the building through eminent domain.
“It’s costing us almost $250,000 a year. That’s not chump change,” said the library’s executive vice president David Woloch, noting that amount could pay the salaries of three additional librarians.
With the lease at the Dyker Heights branch expiring this summer, the library would rather have the city seize the building from the owner, a branch of BMO Harris Bank in Scottsdale, Ariz., than sign another long-term rental commitment.
The library first offered to buy the building for $2.4 million, but the bank turned it down and made no counter offer, so the library began the eminent domain process, which allows the city to take over private property to use for the public good.
“At this point the landlord has indicated an unwillingness to sell, and it serves the public interest for the library to own the building,” Woloch said.”
Bredderman,Will. The Brooklyn Paper 10 March 2014.