Columbia Forces Cuban Restaurant to Close or Move

A restaurant bordering Columbia's proposed Manhattanville campus may be in danger of closing for good. Floridita was forced to temporarily close on Tuesday after their landlord—Columbia University—said they needed to take six weeks to repair their floor, or move to a new location on 12th Avenue. Owner Ramon Diaz said the University never considered options that would allow him to stay open while he leased and renovated a new location, and worries the loss of business would force him to close permanently. He told City Room, “I don’t know what I can do. Nobody is going to hire anybody my age." Another regular said, “Columbia is just a bunch of scoundrels. Scoundrels!"

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By Jaya Saxena in News on April 30, 2010 5:05 PM

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justthinkin

Makes me ashamed to be an alumnus. They've been doing this since the 60's. Anybody care to remember why the SDS was formed and the student takeover of 1968 came to happen? Because CC was using the same tactics back then to displace neighborhood residents for the construction of a building that was deemed too important for a university of its stature to be without...a gymnasium.

horseplay

Wow! Columbia university have been using eminent domain to force a lot of people out of their homes in west Harlem, as well as small buisinesses, grocerie stores, storage facilities, gas stations ect ect. This is something that has been Going on for the past several years with little resistance. And ofcourse fucking "mayor bloomturd" is supporting the displacement of longtime residents and buisnesses. I can't understand how this evil empire (Columbia university) are still free to displace, damage and destroy people's lives.. Hush money for politicians? What about media coverage?