Columbia's expansion into east Harlem.

Ever took a stroll in a neighborhood to see a bunch of abandoned or unused buildings and wondered what their purpose was or will be? Well one example would be Columbia's expansion into Harlem or as they would like to call it Manhattanville in West Harlem. The 17 acre site that Columbia university will develop consists of the four large blocks from 129th street to 133rd street between Broadway and Twelfth Avenue. The expansion of Columbia requires the use of four large blocks as well as three properties on the east side of broadway from 131st to 134 street.

The image below represnts the envisioned Manhattanville once completed.

The next question that comes to mind is how this idea came along. In August 2002 after several years of acquiring property in the area Columbia announced a development plan with the New York Economic Development Corporation. In August of 2004 a study released showed that the area was blighted or in other words infected or spoiled. In 2007 of August community board 9 also known as West Harlem from 110th street to 155th street voted in opposition against Columbia's expansion plans. From December 2007 to December 2008 state officials approved rezoning of the area and the plan of the project allowing for the use of famous, well respected and positively used buildings to be taken for the space of this project. Citizens and property owners decided to take a stand against this and in February of 2009 local business owners filed petitions with the state court to keep their property. The final conclusion came about in December 2009 when a state court ruled that the power to take private property for public use by a state, private person or corporation authorized to exercise beneficial things for the community. It was also concluded that the follow up with the payment of money to the owner of the property was not up to tar or accordance with a political constitution.

Columbia's plan in expanding into east Harlem consist of changing the area from light industrial to mixed use academic purposes. This effects east Harlem residents because businesses and buildings will be shut down in result to this project. Columbia also reached a final community benefits agreement with the west Harlem local development corporation that will support an expansion of educational, cultural, health care and civic programs including the university and local community.

The plan includes more that 6.8 million square feet of space for teaching, researching, underground parking, and support services. It will reconnect West Harlem to the new Hudson River waterfront park. The reason behind the creation of Manhattanville will be to provide thousands of new local jobs and maintain upper manhattan as a world center. A couple of buildings that are planned to be built are a business school, an academic conference center, Jerome L Greene science center, school of the arts and a school of international and public affairs. The final project is said to be completed by 2033.

Part Two

Colombia University of the City of New York was established prior to the American Revolution in 1754; it is the oldest higher level institution in the state of New York. At first, the university was named Kings College but in 1896, after the institution became placed under a private board of trustees, it's name was changed to Colombia University. Also in 1896, the university moved its location from Madison Avenue to the Morning side heights area of Manhattan. Statistically speaking, Colombia's campus is made up of 6 city blocks, but in actuality Colombia University owns the majority of the Harlem community.

With the birth of new careers and majors, Colombia University has had to face a tough decision, expanding in an urban environment. In December 2007, the West Harlem Development Corporation agreed to support the educational expansion of Colombia and the Harlem community as a whole. In 2009 the university was planning to reconstruct 17 acres of land.

Since then, Colombia has gone on to claim buildings and lands that are not rightfully theirs. In the 1980s, an Eritrean community center opened up on 125th and Broadway. The community center was the perfect place for tri-state area Eritreans to unite and enjoy the presence of one another. The site was not very far away from the Eritrean church (which is also on 'Colombia land') so Sundays were always something the community looked forward to.

In 2008, the Eritrean people received word that their community center had been bought by Colombia. They were given one year to fully evacuate the premises, in fact, Colombia wanted them out as soon as possible. By mid-2009, their beloved community center was completely empty and left for the owners.

Now in 2013, almost 4 years later, the grounds of the Eritrean community center of Greater New York still lies untouched by Colombia University. And thus the famous question of 'why were these people asked to leave?' Is still unanswered.