N.Y./Region Opinions
The City
Columbia’s Move on West Harlem
Published: November 26, 2006
There is no arguing that Columbia University needs to expand beyond the space it has occupied in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan for the last century. An expansion of the campus is critical for the university to fulfill its academic mission and remain a major generator of research, intellectual capital and employment for the city and state.
Yet the school is facing a real fight over its plans to build new facilities on 17 acres just to the north in West Harlem, where auto shops and light industry predominate. Residents are raising valid questions about what Columbia will take from — and be willing to give to — the neighborhood.
The plan must go through the usual official procedures with the local Community Board, the City Planning Commission, the City Council and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. On balance it seems generally sound.
It would provide Columbia with new quarters for its business school, new laboratories and an arts and culture center. And it’s not all raze-and-build; three significant buildings, including the old Studebaker auto plant, are being preserved and will be put to use.
The designer, Renzo Piano (the architect of the New York Times’ new headquarters), sought to maximize green space, including parks and walkways, which the school says would be open to the public. Construction could begin as early as the fall of 2008, with a targeted completion of 2030.
Development of this size in New York is rare. Land is at a premium, and that makes it a battleground of competing interests. As expected, a few business owners are holding out, refusing to sell their property for razing. That, in turn, raises the real prospect of eminent domain — a touchy subject, especially in largely minority neighborhoods.
Columbia could have helped its plan along and assuaged many fears if it had included an affordable housing component in its plan. The school has committed to relocating everyone who lives in the expansion zone, which amounts to about 130 units. But the development will certainly raise real estate values in adjacent neighborhoods in Harlem, where escalating prices have already chased out many longtime residents.
The school seems to be waiting to include affordable housing as a component of a community benefits agreement that it will negotiate with a selected group of local leaders. Harlem residents will want to know how many units the agreement entails, and how far away from the Columbia expansion they will be built.
The rich history of Harlem is something that Columbia should work harder to show it understands and respects, especially in the face of enormous change that is understandably difficult for the community to absorb and accept. The school has in many ways been a good neighbor, a force in providing health care and educational opportunities at all levels. But it could earn some important good will if it ceases referring to the expansion zone as Manhattanville, an archaic name that appears to conjure up a rejection of all that West Harlem is.
Columbia’s president, Lee Bollinger, who fought to preserve affirmative action when he led the University of Michigan, has said that he wants the school to feel a part of its new community. Producing a solid community benefits package that includes housing, employment opportunities and a full embrace of Harlem — beginning with its proper name — would be a good way to start.
A Reply From:
From: Erikeith@aol.com
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2006 19:35:46 EST
Subject: FYI: re NYT's Sunday, Nov 26 Editorial on "West Harlem" v. "Manhattanville"
To: reysmont@yahoo.com
Jordi:
Just as an fyi or for the CB9 files, I'm forwarding you my letter of last week to the Times. The paper chose not to print it.My letter was in response to the Sunday, City Section, editorial, which suggested Columbia stop using the name Manhattanville in favor of "its proper name", West Harlem. I believe it's a specious argument. Regardless of whatever else Columbia is doing in this scheme of things, its use of the place-name Manhattanville is historically correct. It would have been just as correct had CU decided to identify its expansion zone as West Harlem, albeit not as precise.
Best,Eric
Eric K. Washington
http://www.ericKwashington.com
27 November 2006
The Editor
The City / The New York Times
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
region@nytimes.com
To the Editor:
While it’s worth emphasizing that “The rich history of Harlem is something that Columbia should work harder to show it understands and respects” (“Columbia’s Move on West Harlem,” Nov. 26), it’s questionable why it should “earn some important good will if it ceases referring to the expansion zone as Manhattanville.”
Harlem is not monolithic. However Harlem’s complexity is often overshadowed by its name, which is flung over the vastness of upper Manhattan like an ill-fitting painter’s tarp. Sadly, subsidiary place-names are effaced, and with them the telling clues to events, material traditions and legacies that are invaluable to understanding the broader scope of Harlem history.
A case in point is Manhattanville, established two centuries ago in 1806, where Columbia University’s expansion zone is now squarely located. The historic town name recurs quite particularly in records of most of the community’s historic institutions and transportation infrastructures, it is writ across a few façades, and it still identifies the current local Community Board.
While “West Harlem” is adequate as a direction-specific term, it is hardly the area’s “proper name” just by dint of common 20th-century use. And to claim that Manhattanville “conjure[s] up a rejection of all that West Harlem is” seems an odd interpretation of the historic record, where West Harlem mostly is not.
Eric K. Washington
Harlem
The writer is the author of "Manhattanville: Old Heart of West Harlem" (Arcadia)
Another Reply:
Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2006 10:19:08 -0500
To:
From: "Tenant"
Subject: ONCE AGAIN, THE NEW YORK TIMES AND ITS OPINIONS STINK!
Catching up on old email. See my comments interspersed below. This so-called editorial looks as if it was written by Bollinger or Stringer looking for cover and a minimal price to pay.
At 11:46 AM 11/26/2006, you wrote:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/opinion/nyregionopinions/CIcolumbia.html?ref=nyregionopinions
The City
Columbia’s Move on West Harlem
Published: November 26, 2006
There is no arguing that Columbia University needs to expand beyond the space it has occupied in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan for the last century. An expansion of the campus is critical for the university to fulfill its academic mission and remain a major generator of research, intellectual capital and employment for the city and state.
Yet the school is facing a real fight over its plans to build new facilities on 17 acres just to the north in West Harlem, where auto shops and light industry predominate. Residents are raising valid questions about what Columbia will take from — and be willing to give to — the neighborhood.
The plan must go through the usual official procedures with the local Community Board, the City Planning Commission, the City Council and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. On balance it seems generally sound.
It would provide Columbia with new quarters for its business school, new laboratories and an arts and culture center. And it’s not all raze-and-build; three significant buildings, including the old Studebaker auto plant, are being preserved and will be put to use.
The designer, Renzo Piano (the architect of the New York Times’ new headquarters), sought to maximize green space, including parks and walkways, which the school says would be open to the public. Construction could begin as early as the fall of 2008, with a targeted completion of 2030.
Development of this size in New York is rare. Land is at a premium, and that makes it a battleground of competing interests. As expected, a few business owners are holding out, refusing to sell their property for razing. That, in turn, raises the real prospect of eminent domain — a touchy subject, especially in largely minority neighborhoods.
NYT should have acknowledged their participation in eminent domain.
Columbia could have helped its plan along and assuaged many fears if it had included an affordable housing component in its plan.
Read, if they bought off the hacks like Jackson, Stringer and Wright, etc.
The school has committed to relocating everyone who lives in the expansion zone, which amounts to about 130 units. But the development will certainly raise real estate values in adjacent neighborhoods in Harlem, where escalating prices have already chased out many longtime residents.
Good Golly, they admit there will be secondary displacement! So will those chased out exceed what little affordable housing Columbia will eventually provide, if any? Can't count the 130 units in that as that's direct displacement. If there is any inclusionary zoning, that essentially ghettoizes the poor in confining towers.
Here is what you get with inclusionary zoning. See the "Friendly Warning" at (and repeated below):
http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/NY-New-York-Hudson-Crossing-548812.html
This place is close to me and shows what's happening in Hell's Kitchen. Maybe the person making the comment is the hack from Stringer's Land Use office who lives in Hudson Crossings.
The school seems to be waiting to include affordable housing as a component of a community benefits agreement that it will negotiate with a selected group of local leaders.
Ca-ching ... buying off Scotty Stringer looking for political cover. Community Benefits Agreements is a code word for those who the politicians can control, and who they use to provide justification for selling out.
Good thing CB9 isn't as bad and stupid as CB4 (we hope).
Harlem residents will want to know how many units the agreement entails, and how far away from the Columbia expansion they will be built.
Of course none of this helps the small businesses. Hello Starbucks!
The rich history of Harlem is something that Columbia should work harder to show it understands and respects, especially in the face of enormous change that is understandably difficult for the community to absorb and accept. The school has in many ways been a good neighbor,
They say with a straight face. OTFLOL.
a force in providing health care and educational opportunities at all levels. But it could earn some important good will if it ceases referring to the expansion zone as Manhattanville, an archaic name that appears to conjure up a rejection of all that West Harlem is.
Where is Abby when we need him?
Columbia’s president, Lee Bollinger, who fought to preserve affirmative action when he led the University of Michigan
And Univ. of Michigan took $100 million from Steve Ross of Related Co.
, has said that he wants the school to feel a part of its new community. Producing a solid community benefits package that includes housing, employment opportunities and a full embrace of Harlem — beginning with its proper name — would be a good way to start.
from http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/NY-New-York-Hudson-Crossing-548812.html
Friendly warning.
From: -Anonymous-
Date posted: 11/4/2006
Years at this apartment: 2006-2006
1 response
Here's a warning to residents & prosepctive residents. 25% of the building is low/moderate income housing. So while you're paying your market rents of $2500-$6000 a month for a studio, 1 bdrm or 2 bdrm, some hoodlums from harlem are paying oh about $700 a month. While you walk in your brand new luxury building with your Banana Republic, Club Monaco or Urban Outfitters bags in tow from a shopping trip, you'll be sharing an elevator with a thug(s) with their stinky $5 chinese & Daffy's bags from their shopping trips. Not to sound like an ---- but I in no way would pay market rent to be surrounded by the likes of people that can only afford the same apt for 70-80% off the cost.
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