July/August 2009
Around the Quads
Manhattanville Receives Another Approval
Columbia’s planned expansion in Manhattanville cleared another hurdle on May 20 when the New York State Public Authorities Control Board gave its approval to the project. The PACB action follows a New York City Council vote in 2007 to rezone the manufacturing district, a 2008 ruling by a Manhattan judge upholding that rezoning and the Empire State Development Corp.’s approval last year of the University's $6.3 billion general project plan.
The University has begun pre-construction work, such as the movement of affected utility lines beneath Broadway, on the 17-acre project, which calls for a build-out of 6.8 million square feet above grade and 2 million square feet below grade over the course of 25 years. It is estimated that the project will create 14,000 construction jobs during the build-out and 6,000 permanent jobs.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor David Paterson ’77 lauded the community-friendly aspects of the project in statements issued following the PACB action.
“The expansion will provide nearly 100,000 square feet of publicly accessible open space, enhance the area's cultural activities and activate the neighborhood’s street life with wide sidewalks and ground-floor retail uses,” Bloomberg said. Paterson added, “Recognizing the needs of our West Harlem community, the project also includes a community-benefits agreement that will provide scholarships for local residents, medical facilities for school-age children and enhanced curricula for local secondary schools.”
Alex Sachare ’71