CB9 Shows Unease Over Statement

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CB9 Shows Unease Over Statement
Most Requests for Broader Study Rejected
By Erin Durkin
Issue date: 9/27/06 Section: News

City Planning rejected this request, saying that, in accordance with the CEQR manual, existing conditions would be examined for 2005, but all of Columbia's property acquisitions since 2000 would be documented.

The agency also rejected a request that the study area be expanded to cover Columbia's campuses in Morningside Heights and Washington Heights. "The EIS will measure the impacts of the Proposed Project, not those of all of Columbia University's operations," the document states.

CB9 members and consultants objected to what they saw as City Planning's acceptance of Columbia's rationale for the expansion. The document states that, "The purpose of the Proposed Actions is to meet Columbia University's critical need for additional academic research and academic teaching facilities to support its mission and maintain its status as one of the world's leading universities."

"This is so slanted against us it's sick," said CB9 member and Manhattanville business owner Anne Whitman.Whitman, who has refused to sell her property to Columbia and has been a harsh critic of the expansion, also said that the conduct of agents from AKRF-the firm that has been contracted to conduct the EIS for Columbia-had been overbearing and amounted to "extreme harassment."

"They're standing in front of my building photographing me and my employees," she said. "My employees are terrified."Columbia spokeswoman La-Verna Fountain said of the AKRF agents, "We're very confident that they've conducted themselves appropriately."

"They have a great reputation," she said. "They know how to work in the community." She added that no one had contacted the University with complaints about the behavior of the consultants conducting the study.

City Planning rejected this request, saying that, in accordance with the CEQR manual, existing conditions would be examined for 2005, but all of Columbia's property acquisitions since 2000 would be documented.

The agency also rejected a request that the study area be expanded to cover Columbia's campuses in Morningside Heights and Washington Heights. "The EIS will measure the impacts of the Proposed Project, not those of all of Columbia University's operations," the document states.CB9 members and consultants objected to what they saw as City Planning's acceptance of Columbia's rationale for the expansion. The document states that, "The purpose of the Proposed Actions is to meet Columbia University's critical need for additional academic research and academic teaching facilities to support its mission and maintain its status as one of the world's leading universities."

"This is so slanted against us it's sick," said CB9 member and Manhattanville business owner Anne Whitman.

Whitman, who has refused to sell her property to Columbia and has been a harsh critic of the expansion, also said that the conduct of agents from AKRF-the firm that has been contracted to conduct the EIS for Columbia-had been overbearing and amounted to "extreme harassment."

"They're standing in front of my building photographing me and my employees," she said. "My employees are terrified."

Columbia spokeswoman La-Verna Fountain said of the AKRF agents, "We're very confident that they've conducted themselves appropriately."

"They have a great reputation," she said. "They know how to work in the community." She added that no one had contacted the University with complaints about the behavior of the consultants conducting the study.