WikiCU - User contributions [en]

Student Coalition on Expansion and Gentrification

2007-03-28T21:21:43Z

Rrstoll: /* External links */

The '''Student Coalition on Expansion and Gentrification''' (SCEG) is a member club of the [[Columbia Student Solidarity Network]]. SCEG was founded in fall 2003 in response to the university's announcement of its plans for expansion.

To contact SCEG, email [mailto:sceg@columbia.edu sceg@columbia.edu]. Meetings are at 5:30pm Sundays in 405 [[Kent]].

== Mission statement ==

University expansion and gentrification are processes that affect everyone in our community. As students we recognize our unique position in relationship to the University and community at large and, therefore, the necessity of our action in support of an equitable expansion. To this end, we are committed to standing in solidarity with those most affected by the process of gentrification, and to educating and mobilizing the student body towards a goal of greater University accountability. We support the local Community Board’s 197-a framework for neighborhood development, a substantive Community Benefits Agreement, and a development process that puts the needs of local residents before the interests of the University.

== Activities ==

* We educate ourselves by attending Community Board 9 meetings and learning about alternate plans for the neighborhood, such as the CB9’s 197-a plan, which emphasizes preserving affordable housing and good manufacturing jobs, among other key neighborhood issues.
* We organize informational events about Columbia’s expansion so that students, faculty, and staff don’t just get Columbia’s side of the story. In the past, these have included faculty panels, lectures from community members and technical experts, and town halls.
* We organize press conferences, protests, and other actions that make our concerns known off-campus as well as on-campus and publicly put pressure on Columbia’s administration.
* We sponsor Community-Student Dinners that seek to bring together Columbia students and residents of West Harlem so that we can get to know each other, talk about issues related to the expansion, and build a stronger movement to hold the University accountable.
* We regularly write opinion articles in the student paper to make our concerns about the expansion and the planning process visible.
* We work with [[CCSC]] and other student groups to educate them and build coalitions around common causes.
* We conduct letter-writing campaigns and encourage student involvement in public hearings about Columbia’s plan to try to influence the decisions of local government officials.
* This year SCEG is hosting an art exhibit to show different perspectives on the neighborhood’s history and how it has changed.

== External links ==

* [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cssn/expansion/ SCEG website]
* [http://neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/ Manhattanville in West Harlem (Columbia's information site)]

[[Category:Activist clubs]]

Manhattanville controversy

2007-03-28T19:00:07Z

Rrstoll: /* Support of the plan */

In the summer of 2003, President Bollinger announced the University's intentions to build a satellite campus extension in the area bounded by 125th and 133rd Streets between Broadway and 12th Avenue, an are of approximately 18 acres. Manhattanville is an industrial and largely depopulated area northwest of campus. Controversy surrounds the impact of Columbia's plans on the neighborhood and the possibility of the state using eminent domain to condemn properties in the area. Some of the objection surrounds the planned construction of a Bio Safety Level 3 laboratory on the campus.

The [[Student Coalition on Expansion and Gentrification]] is the main student group against expansion. The [http://www.stopcolumbia.org/ Coalition to Preserve Community] is a neighborhood group dedicated to stopping the expansion.

== Two Visions for Manhattanville ==

===The Columbia Plan===
Columbia has retained world renowned architect Renzo Piano to lay the master plan for the expansion, a plan which Bollinger has insisted must be implemented either in whole or not at all. Current plans call for the first phase of construction to include new sites for the [[Columbia Business School|Business School]], the [[School of the Arts]], the newly created Jerome Greene Neuroscience Research Center, and a K-8 public Magnet school under Columbia's direction for children of northern Manhattan residents.

===The 197-a Plan===
197-a refers to section 197-a of the New York City Charter. This section authorizes community boards and borough boards, as well as the Mayor, the City Planning Commission, the Department of City Planning, and any Borough President, to sponsor plans for the development, growth, and improvement of the city, its boroughs and communities.

Community Board 9, has draft 197-a plan for Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, and Hamilton Heights. It was developed in cooperation with the Pratt Institute Center for Community Development and the Department of City Planning.

Once ratified, the plan itself has no legal force. Yet, since the plan is an embodiment of the "people's will" any development or activity that ran counter to the plan would be a major contretemps for Columbia. The 197-a plan does not prevent the development of the Manhattanville campus, but does contain provisions that would require significant modifications to Columbia's current proposal.

== Eminent domain ==
Typical of these kinds of land use disputes, there are a number of 'hold-outs' in the Manhattanville area. That is several business have been approached with buyout offers by Columbia, but have refused the offer. Anne Whitman of Hudson Moving and Storage is prime example. Whitman has expressed fears that Columbia will use political influence to have her property condemned. Bollinger is on record stating use of eminent domain would not be ruled out.

The 197-a plan will contain clauses proscribing the use of eminent domain in the area. It is unclear whether the languages is or is not a direct response to Columbia's implied threat to use eminent domain to ensure a contiguous campus.

== Support of the plan ==
* Expansion creates new job opportunities<ref>6,900 university jobs [http://www.neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/faqs/index.html#N100E8 source]</ref> in the neighborhood
* Expansion leads to more commerce in the area and in New York City<ref>$11 Billion in commerce generated[http://www.neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/faqs/index.html#N10129 source]</ref>
* Expansion would change the character of the neighborhood for the better
* Plan includes community amenities including the creation of parkland and the creation of Columbia secondary school

== Objections to the plan ==
* The expansion would considerably change the character of the neighborhood
* The expansion would require residents in the neighborhood to relocate<ref>Columbia claims that 132 units would need to be relocated [http://www.neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/faqs/index.html#N100E8 source]</ref>
* The expansion would eliminate several business operating in the area
* The University has indicated it would use eminent domain if necessary

== Notes ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [http://www.neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/index.html Manhattanville in West Harlem (Columbia's information site)]
* [http://www.prattcenter.net/cp-cb9-197a.php Community Board 9 197-a plan]

[[Category:Scandals]]
[[Category:Manhattanville]]

Manhattanville controversy

2007-03-28T18:58:27Z

Rrstoll: /* External links */

In the summer of 2003, President Bollinger announced the University's intentions to build a satellite campus extension in the area bounded by 125th and 133rd Streets between Broadway and 12th Avenue, an are of approximately 18 acres. Manhattanville is an industrial and largely depopulated area northwest of campus. Controversy surrounds the impact of Columbia's plans on the neighborhood and the possibility of the state using eminent domain to condemn properties in the area. Some of the objection surrounds the planned construction of a Bio Safety Level 3 laboratory on the campus.

The [[Student Coalition on Expansion and Gentrification]] is the main student group against expansion. The [http://www.stopcolumbia.org/ Coalition to Preserve Community] is a neighborhood group dedicated to stopping the expansion.

== Two Visions for Manhattanville ==

===The Columbia Plan===
Columbia has retained world renowned architect Renzo Piano to lay the master plan for the expansion, a plan which Bollinger has insisted must be implemented either in whole or not at all. Current plans call for the first phase of construction to include new sites for the [[Columbia Business School|Business School]], the [[School of the Arts]], the newly created Jerome Greene Neuroscience Research Center, and a K-8 public Magnet school under Columbia's direction for children of northern Manhattan residents.

===The 197-a Plan===
197-a refers to section 197-a of the New York City Charter. This section authorizes community boards and borough boards, as well as the Mayor, the City Planning Commission, the Department of City Planning, and any Borough President, to sponsor plans for the development, growth, and improvement of the city, its boroughs and communities.

Community Board 9, has draft 197-a plan for Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, and Hamilton Heights. It was developed in cooperation with the Pratt Institute Center for Community Development and the Department of City Planning.

Once ratified, the plan itself has no legal force. Yet, since the plan is an embodiment of the "people's will" any development or activity that ran counter to the plan would be a major contretemps for Columbia. The 197-a plan does not prevent the development of the Manhattanville campus, but does contain provisions that would require significant modifications to Columbia's current proposal.

== Eminent domain ==
Typical of these kinds of land use disputes, there are a number of 'hold-outs' in the Manhattanville area. That is several business have been approached with buyout offers by Columbia, but have refused the offer. Anne Whitman of Hudson Moving and Storage is prime example. Whitman has expressed fears that Columbia will use political influence to have her property condemned. Bollinger is on record stating use of eminent domain would not be ruled out.

The 197-a plan will contain clauses proscribing the use of eminent domain in the area. It is unclear whether the languages is or is not a direct response to Columbia's implied threat to use eminent domain to ensure a contiguous campus.

== Support of the plan ==
* Expansion creates new job opportunities<ref>6,900 university jobs [http://www.neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/faqs/index.html#N100E8 source]</ref> in the neighborhood
* Expansion leads to more commerce in the area and in New York City<ref>$11 Billion in commerce generated[http://www.neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/faqs/index.html#N10129 source]</ref>
* Plan includes community amenities including the creation of parkland and the creation of Columbia secondary school

== Objections to the plan ==
* The expansion would considerably change the character of the neighborhood
* The expansion would require residents in the neighborhood to relocate<ref>Columbia claims that 132 units would need to be relocated [http://www.neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/faqs/index.html#N100E8 source]</ref>
* The expansion would eliminate several business operating in the area
* The University has indicated it would use eminent domain if necessary

== Notes ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [http://www.neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/index.html Manhattanville in West Harlem (Columbia's information site)]
* [http://www.prattcenter.net/cp-cb9-197a.php Community Board 9 197-a plan]

[[Category:Scandals]]
[[Category:Manhattanville]]

Manhattanville campus

2007-03-28T14:56:20Z

Rrstoll: /* External links */

In the summer of 2003, President Bollinger announced the University's intention to build a extension/satellite campus. The '''Manhattanville campus''' is an 18 acre planned development in the [[Manhattanville]] neighborhood of [[Manhattan]], an area bound by 125th and 133rd Streets between Broadway and 12th Avenue.

Columbia has retained world renowned architect Renzo Piano to lay the master plan for the expansion, a plan which President Bollinger has insisted must be implemented either in whole or not at all. Current plans call for the first phase of construction to include new sites for the [[Columbia Business School|Business School]], the [[School of the Arts]], the newly created Jerome L. Greene Science Center, and the [[Columbia Science, Math and Engineering Secondary School]] a public Magnet school under Columbia's direction for children of northern Manhattan residents.

The '''Jerome L. Greene Science Center''' will be a new research teaching facility that will serve as the home for Columbia's Mind, Brain and Behavior initiative. It will be led by neurobiologist Dr. Thomas Jessell, and Nobel laureates Dr. Richard Axel and Dr. Eric Kandel. It will be built in the [[Manhattanville campus]], and is funded by a $200 million gift from the Jerome Greene Foundation, the largest gift in Columbia history.

=External links=
[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/06/03/science_center.html Jerome L. Greene Science Center Press Release]

[http://neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/ Manhattanville in West Harlem (Columbia's information site)]

== Expansion controversy ==
''See main article at [[Manhattanville Controversy]].''

== Photos ==

<gallery>
Image:ManhattanvilleSitePlan.jpg
Image:ManhattanvilleBroadway.jpg
Image:ManhattanvilleSOA.jpg
</gallery>

[[Category:Campuses]]
[[Category:Manhattanville]]

Manhattanville campus

2007-03-28T14:55:53Z

Rrstoll: /* External links */

In the summer of 2003, President Bollinger announced the University's intention to build a extension/satellite campus. The '''Manhattanville campus''' is an 18 acre planned development in the [[Manhattanville]] neighborhood of [[Manhattan]], an area bound by 125th and 133rd Streets between Broadway and 12th Avenue.

Columbia has retained world renowned architect Renzo Piano to lay the master plan for the expansion, a plan which President Bollinger has insisted must be implemented either in whole or not at all. Current plans call for the first phase of construction to include new sites for the [[Columbia Business School|Business School]], the [[School of the Arts]], the newly created Jerome L. Greene Science Center, and the [[Columbia Science, Math and Engineering Secondary School]] a public Magnet school under Columbia's direction for children of northern Manhattan residents.

The '''Jerome L. Greene Science Center''' will be a new research teaching facility that will serve as the home for Columbia's Mind, Brain and Behavior initiative. It will be led by neurobiologist Dr. Thomas Jessell, and Nobel laureates Dr. Richard Axel and Dr. Eric Kandel. It will be built in the [[Manhattanville campus]], and is funded by a $200 million gift from the Jerome Greene Foundation, the largest gift in Columbia history.

=External links=
[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/06/03/science_center.html Jerome L. Greene Science Center Press Release]
[http://neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/ Manhattanville in West Harlem (Columbia's information site)]

== Expansion controversy ==
''See main article at [[Manhattanville Controversy]].''

== Photos ==

<gallery>
Image:ManhattanvilleSitePlan.jpg
Image:ManhattanvilleBroadway.jpg
Image:ManhattanvilleSOA.jpg
</gallery>

[[Category:Campuses]]
[[Category:Manhattanville]]