« In Coney Island, sidewalk blight and an evasive administration | Main | Tape of Yonkers council meeting sought »
June 1, 2007
Same Struggle, Other Borough
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn outlines the issues about the other land grab in the "other borough" and declares solidarity:
New York City is about to certify Columbia University's 17-acre expansion plan into West Harlem which abuses eminent domain, and like Atlantic Yards, relies on a yet to be released "blight study" from the Empire State Development Corporation. What this means is that on Monday the City Planning Commission, in its project certification, will start the clock on the city's Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) (again a government agency is proceeding with a dense review process in the middle of summer, especially impactful as this review includes the community's 197-A plan but in the summer Community Board 9 is out of session). Along with the city process, the ESDC has been called in to be the eminent domain abusing condemnor, planning to seize private property to hand over to Columbia University.
Like Brooklynites, the West Harlem community has been fighting Columbia's plans for years and we fully support their efforts (over the years they have been very supportive of our struggle as well). Their fight is our fight. Our fight is their fight. The West Harlem Community Board, Board 9, has called a 12 noon press conference today at City Hall.
Note: This is a City project; the Empire State Development Corporation was brought in solely to do the land seizures through eminent domain, apparently because the City doesn't have the balls to try it themselves.
Posted by lumi at June 1, 2007 9:12 AM