Demolition of the buildings in Columbia University's expanded footprint is in full swing. The historic building housing the Hudson Moving & Storage Company (on the National Register of Historic Places - I told you that designation means nothing) is being demolished with only its facade being saved and moved to the company's new location.
Here's a side view. Meanwhile, just around the corner...
627 W. 129th Street has no such half-assed preservation plans.The gas station seen to the right as well as Tuck-It-Away Storage are the only 2 properties that have not kowtowed to Columbia University and both will likely be taken by eminent domain so that a private school that charges its students tens of thousands of dollars per semester and admits basically no one from the surrounding neighborhood can take over West Harlem. Who needs jobs for the working class? Let's make more room for temporary out-of-towners and gentrify every square inch of the city!
Remember, under Mayor Bloomberg, industrial areas that for the most part employ minorities = "blighted".
7 comments:
This really is disgusting. The fact of the matter is that the area wasn't a blight until Columbia bought it up and shuttered the buildings.
Of course, blight caused by the entity that the eminent domain is to benefit.
Just like at the Yards.
Look what is disgusting is the Colunmbia has tons of grads who live in landmarked districts, and are involved in this from A to Z, from planning to building to ownership.
If the preservation community is making money from this, and remains silent ..... maybe we should redefine the preservation community - and expand it so its more inclusive.
These are two for profit business looking to make more money by blackmailing Columbia. This delay stops the school, delays science buildings, which means scientific progress. It delays more dorm space, which would allow more students the benefits of a Columbia Education. They should have used eminent domain or whatever it took years ago to get these two blackmailers out.
They are looking to stay.
Sounds like Biggie Smalls is up to his old tricks.
Private universities should not benefit from eminent domain abuse.
The difference is that the businesses legally own it. Columbia doesn't. In fact, this is developer driven eminent domain which was prohibited by Kelo.
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