Columbia's Expansion Dreams

Columbia's campus News that Columbia has been in talks with Harlem local officials and other city politcos about acquiring 17 acres of land, from 125th Street to 133rd Street, between Broadway and 12th Avenue, to expand its campus interested Gothamist for many reasons. Not only is Columbia our alma mater, it is also one of the largest landowners in the city (the others are the Catholic Church and NYU), and therefore has a huge say in the dynamic of neighborhoods. The relationship between Columbia and Harlem has always been fractured, as Columbia has usually been less interested in getting involve with the community and more concerned with its own interests (example, the Morningside Park gym debacle in the late 1960s). But Columbia's campus is crowded, and could benefit from more buildings, like a new arts center and more dorms. Community officials, thus far, are cautiously optimistic.

The Times' Charles Bagli has a good overview of some of Columbia's various real estate purchases on the Upper Upper West Side, as well as this expansion plan. Columbia's president, Lee Bollinger, says about buildings on the new piece of campus, "These would be beautiful, magnificent buildings on the order of what we have in Morningside Heights. Maybe not in mass, but in quality." Columbia's main campus was originally designed by McKim, Mead & White. Go up there for a tour or take the interactive tour.

Gothamist does think Columbia looks spectacular, even if its five year reunions blow.

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By Jen Chung in News on July 31, 2003 3:03 AM

Comments [rss]

zann

Actually, Manhattanville is a separate neighboorhood closer to Central Park in the 100s. A lot of Manhattanville was bought up/destroyed to create the park.

Morningside Heights is not a myth created by Columbia; it's a historical name that has been in use to refer to the area since the time of Washington. However, city records do indicate Harlem does technically start at 110th st.. on both sides, east and west... but the fact that 125th st and up is a different neighborhood from the Columbia area is undeniable.

Cliff

It's always been my impression that the major geographical and geological features that separate the Columbia campus from Harlem proper make its desire to be labeled as a different neighborhood more than a fudge.

Jen

Yeah, Columbia is big on "Morning Side Heights" as a moniker. I never heard of Manhattanville.

I think according to Columbia, Harlem starts at 110th east of Central Park West/Fredrick Douglass and 125th west of Central Park West/Frederick Douglass.

hy

"Maybe not in mass, but in quality."

with such "quality" as the $85mil alfred lerner hall, the broadway (plus its twin—the 110th st. faculty residence)...

ugly must really be the new black.

kevinrscott

what's funny is, i thought columbia was always in harlem seeing as i've been told harlem starts at 110th street. and to "expand into harlem" yet to refuse to call it harlem and want to refer to it as manhattanville is so ridiculous.