What part of the Constitution limits the power of eminent domain? The obvious answer is the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment, which states “nor shall private property be taken…
Case Studies
* The following blog is an adaptation of the presentation Alan Ackerman and Matthew Ackerman gave on “The Fundamentals of Easement Valuation” at the American Law Institute’s Eminent Domain &…
Golden Pine Center, Atlanta, MI Government Valuation: $6,000 Negotiated Settlement: $55,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $49,000 |
Hadyniak / Cieciek Properties Government Valuation: $380,000 Negotiated Settlement: $2,025,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $1,645,000 |
Hill Farm / National Properties Government Valuation: $365,000 Negotiated Settlement: $1,563,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $1,198,000 |
Buckland-Van Wald Furniture, Inc. Government Valuation: $11,000 Negotiated Settlement: $5,000,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $4,989,000 |
Wright Farms in Eaton County Government Valuation: $212,000 Negotiated Settlement: $1,100,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $888,000 |
Big Boy Restaurant, Romulus, MI Government Valuation: $361,945 Negotiated Settlement: $1,433,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $1,071,055 |
Automobile Dealership Government Valuation: $115,000 Negotiated Settlement: $700,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $585,000 |
General Motors Poletown Plant Government Valuation: $357,000 Negotiated Settlement: $5,100,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $4,743,000 |
Algonac Harbor Marina Government Valuation: $61,000 Negotiated Settlement: $105,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $44,000 |
Detroit Marina Terminal Government Valuation: $4,000,000 Negotiated Settlement: $20,000,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $16,000,000 |
Eddie’s Food on the Run Government Valuation: $0.0 Negotiated Settlement: $123,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $123,000 |
Frank’s Bar & Restaurant Government Valuation: $11,500 Negotiated Settlement: $200,000 Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski delivers: $188,500 |
Client Profile RCU Independence, Inc. and Sentry, Inc. own and operate two successful, full-service car wash facilities called Pro Car Wash East and Pro Car Wash West. The two businesses…
On September 28, 2004, the United States Supreme Court granted a property owner’s application for leave from a Connecticut Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of the community’s taking of…
The Detroit Marine Terminal seizure was initiated by the City of Detroit in order to secure a parcel of waterfront property (located near the city limit of Detroit and Dearborn) as part of plans to build a new municipal water purification plant. Viewing the property in question as essentially a wasted backland parcel with little value in a declining industrial area, the condemning authority initially extended an offer of approximately $4 million to the owner, Detroit Marine Terminals, Inc.
This case involved a gas storage field conversion/condemnation, where a formerly active 300-acre natural gas field would be repurposed as a gas storage field. The condemning authority, Washington 10 Gas Company, was a collaborative enterprise between major regional utilities and private investors. The company formally became a common carrier/public utility for the purposes of acquiring the gas field. After the condemning authority gained the rights to acquire and reuse the site, an initial compensation offer of approximately $1,000/acre—a total of $386,000—was made to the owner.
As referenced in an earlier blog, Alan and Mathew co-authored an article in The Practical Real Estate Lawyer‘s May 2024 issue. The article is titled “Valuation of Partial Takings.” In…
Despite appeal, judge’s ruling in the Ice Mountain case has created the possibility of trampling private-property considerations and punishing job creators. It’s crucial for the future of our state to…
When the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) in Seattle, Washington announced plans to seize two subdivision lots on an inlet to the Pacific Ocean, a property owner within that subdivision did not know where to turn. Two local attorneys with eminent domain experience did not see sufficient basis for a claim and subsequently declined to represent the owner in his attempt to seek fair compensation for the proposed seizure. Frustrated and in need of experienced counsel in the highly specialized eminent domain arena, the owner put in a call to Ackerman Ackerman Complete & Dynkowski.