Monday, April 2, 2007

Preserving West Harlem

West Harlem joins the "they want to build what?" club:

"Columbia University’s proposal for a $7 billion expansion of its campus on 17 acres in West Harlem has touched off fears that another wave of gentrification will wash over this low-scale neighborhood of tenements, brownstones, housing projects, warehouses and small businesses."
Zoning Changes Proposed to Preserve West Harlem’s Character

"According to a new study by the Manhattan borough president’s office, more than 200 lots scattered across the west side of Harlem are prime candidates for redevelopment. Under current zoning rules, a developer can build towers or dormitories that are far larger than the four- and six-story buildings commonly found in the area."

Map from Manhattan Institute

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The high tuition charged by these institutions of higher learning seems to be adding up to one thing.....high rise development and the destruction of neighborhoods with character where real people live!

Between NYU and Columbia, they're eating up low rise blocks like an old "Pac Man" video game..... gobbling up the opposition!

Anyone enrolling in one of these colleges (ha, ha, ha....if they can afford it) must ask themselves the question: Am I investing in a superior education or merely supporting real estate aquisitions for these Behemoth institutions?

In the case of Columbia, I'm afraid, this expansion represents a new form of White elitist racism!

Anonymous said...

Columbia, NYU, Ratnerville, Yankee Stadium, the entire borough of Queens.

How much are we going to put up with this until we all join and fight this together.

We have many manifestations, but all really one foe. The only way we can fight this is to be united across the city.

KRM said...

soon the whole of new york city will no longer be known by the names of neighborhoods, rather by the names of developers.

Columbia Heights, NYU Village, Muss Creek, Ratnerville, South of Silverstein, Silvercup City