The Eminent Domain

Community Board 9 should be proud. Its 197-a plan for West Harlem is having an impact – though unfortunately for board members, it’s on a different neighborhood.

Last week, New York University and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer announced that they’ve agreed to a set of principles guiding the university’s future development. NYU doesn’t have a great track record in involving the community in its expansion, but between the current 2031 Initiative and this agreement, it’s clear that the university is trying to clean up its act (or at least its image) as it goes into another major phase of development.

(Full disclosure: both Alyssa and I are affiliated with NYU.)

But take a look at some of the agreed-upon Principles, which Stringer’s office instigated. They bear a striking similarity to some of the recommendations outlined in Community Board 9′s 197-a plan, which recently faced off – and lost — against Columbia’s proposal for expansion into Manhattanville.

* NYU’s “Guiding Principles” call for “contextual development that is sensitive to building heights, densities and materials;” CB9′s 197-A plan recommends “contextual zoning throughout the district in order to preserve the aesthetic quality and historic character of the district and respect its various architecture styles.”

    * NYU promises to “consider mixed use facilities that complement Manhattan’s mixed neighborhoods, particularly in regard to ground floor uses.” CB9 suggested “a mixture of production/light manufacturing, commercial, retail, cultural, and residential uses within the community, and in some cases within the same building” and further stipulated that “Business activity (commercial, retail, production/light manufacturing) and/or community facilities on at least the first two floors would be required to provide visual transparency to enliven the streetscape.”

    * NYU plans on “exploring the utilization of ground floors of buildings for community-oriented uses such as local retail, gallery spaces for local artists, non-profit users and other providers of community services. CB9 called on the city to “retain and improve existing and develop new community facilities including daycare centers for children and seniors, schools, and other educational and cultural institutions.”

    * NYU says it will “Make thoughtful urban and architectural design a priority” by, among other things, “improving the quality of open spaces.” Similarly, the 197-a plan “calls for the intensive planting of trees, the design and development of greenways and parks throughout the area.

    * NYU wants to “preserv[e] existing diverse social and economic character through the support of community efforts to sustain affordable housing and local retail.” CB9 emphasized the importance of “housing plans for CD 9 seniors and low, moderate, and middle income residents” as well as “a diversity of ownership and local entrepreneurship.”

Words aren’t the same thing as actions, of course, and as he proved in West Harlem Scott Stringer will readily circumvent working with community groups if that suits his interests. But it appears that NYU agrees with CB9 that a university can best serve its own mission by being part of its community – not apart from it.