By Heather Grossmann
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — A celebrity-backed lawsuit fighting the city's plan to put a three-district sanitation garage in TriBeCa was thrown out of court this week, leaving the plaintiffs disappointed — but not ready to give up.
"It wasn’t unexpected," said attorney Michael Kramer, who represented the group, which includes James Gandolfini, John Slattery and Lou Reed. "The last couple of years the judiciary hasn’t looked favorably on any community challenges."
Kramer said the group is looking into appealing the decision, and the community's alternate plan, Hudson Rise, is still very much on the table. That plan offers up a more environmentally friendly facility and would house only two districts worth of sanitation services.
The lawyer said that the group was continuing negotiations with the city independently of the lawsuit.
However, the Department of Sanitation seems to view the ruling as closing the case.
"This ruling will allow the Sanitation Department to move forward with construction of this much-needed facility," Susan Amron, lead attorney for the city, said in a statement. "The new garage will provide space to park, clean, refuel, and maintain vehicles which will allow the City to more ably provide essential services to the Tribeca and neighboring communities."
The DOS said that the next step is to issue a contract for bid, but they were not going to do so immediately.
