N.Y.C. Admin. Code § 17-161: § 17-161 Institution of proceedings.

Such proceeding shall be instituted through a petition addressed to such court containing a brief statement of the reasons therefor, and shall not be required to contain further allegations of facts than those which have actuated the department in this proceeding, which shall then be carried on in the manner prescribed for a capital project proceeding by subchapter one of chapter three of title five of the code. The owner of such building or any person interested therein may in his or her answer dispute the necessity of the destruction of such building or part thereof, as the case may be. In such case, the court shall not take steps to ascertain the value of the property unless proof is made of the necessity of such destruction.