Long before several buildings were destroyed by the massive Greenpoint warehouse fire, developers and preservationists were battling over the land.

Developer Joshua Guttman was planning to tear down the buildings of the Greenpoint Terminal Market and create a large retail and residential complex. Guttman?s plans drew criticism and created friction with the community and local officials over how to preserve the buildings. Now, investigators are trying to determine if that fight led to the fire.

Guttman has not been named as a suspect in the fire. A local preservation group plans to ask the city to give what is left of the market landmark status.

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