City of Springfield v. West Koke Mill Development Corp.

In August 1997, plaintiff, the City of Springfield (the city), filed a petition to condemn certain property owned by defendant West Koke Mill Development Corporation (Koke Mill) and mortgaged to defendant First of America Bank-Springfield, N.A. (First of America), to make roadway improvements. In April 1999, after a trial, a jury awarded Koke Mill $54,925 as just compensation. Koke Mill and First of America appeal, arguing that (1) the city’s appraisal witness used methods that violated the so-called “unit rule” in evaluating the condemned property, and (2) the city failed to make a bona fide…