SPR successfully defended a proceeding that sought to annul approvals received by Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, a private, tuition-free school established in 1859. The challenge sought to block Cooper Union’s redevelopment plan, which is designed to improve and modernize its educational facilities in downtown Manhattan. The petitioners claimed that the City approvals did not comply with New York City’s zoning laws, and that the EIS had improperly “segmented” the redevelopment project from the proposed development of another parcel owned by Cooper Union. New York State Justice Sheila Abdus-Salaam dismissed petitioners’ claims in their entirety, finding that the City had properly studied the impact of the redevelopment plan on public facilities in the vicinity of the project and otherwise complied with the City’s zoning procedures. The court also found that there had been no improper segmentation, because the EIS considered impacts from the other parcel owned by Cooper Union. David Paget and Steven C. Russo represented Cooper Union.