Borough Prez Responds To Columbia Expansion
Tonight at 6:30 at the [Community Board 9] office on 125th Street, West Harlem residents will have a chance to speak their minds on a new plan in response to Columbia University's impending $7 billion expansion.
The proposal by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer calls for building height limits, affordable housing and anti-harassment legislation to prevent low-rent residents from being pressured out. The borough president supports Columbias expansion, but we want to make sure the community is not overrun, said Eric Pugatch, a spokesman for Borough President Scott Stringer. Dare to dream, dare to dream.
Columbia's 17-acre development proposal for the area north of its Morningside Heights campus has many fearing rents will be driven up and long-time residents and businesses driven out, and that eminent domain will be used to claim property. But these days, Harlem residents are like a virgin on prom nightso unsure.
At least one local is on the Columbia gravy train: There will be less delinquency, less drugs, [Jose Perez told amNY]. Wouldnt it be ironic if all Harlem needs to cure itself of its Harlem-ness is a diverse group of well-to-do future PhDs and MFAs? Lord knows the Village cant hold all of them.