Growing Pains

At a Community Board 9 meeting on Feb. 21, the City College of New York presented plans for a proposed extension of its research facilities in West Harlem. The presentation evoked memories of the long process by which Columbia University sought feedback from local residents and businesses in the lead-up to its own expansion plan. Though Columbia engaged the community in various ways, some within the University and in the neighborhood felt the administration continually ignored community input as the plans progressed toward approval from City Council. While not as far-reaching as Columbia's designs, City College's project may well have detrimental effects on the community. For the sake of its own plans, City College should learn from Columbia's experience and work with the community to minimize the construction's effects on the neighborhood.

A branch of the public City University of New York, City College intends to remedy its lack of science space by building new research facilities on its South Campus. The college insists that its plans do not amount to an expansion into the surrounding neighborhood, but the angry opposition with which those plans were greeted at the CB9 meeting indicates that, regardless, they are being perceived as such. If implemented, the plans will impinge on a local park and detract from the appearance of a street now lined with businesses. Community residents worry that the structures will block off sections of what is currently an open neighborhood. Above all, they have expressed outrage at the lack of communication on the part of City College planners.

Before deciding where and how to expand, City College administrators should have arranged a forum to hear community concerns and counterproposals. Instead, they presented plans that they say can no longer be altered. Community members deserve to be consulted about substantial changes to their neighborhood, even when those changes are justified. Though City College may need additional facilities to adequately serve its public function, its administrators must recognize that their actions have significant consequences for the community. Despite what administrators suggest, the school's need for new research space does not excuse its failure to consult the community during its decisions-making process.

Though City College representatives have informed the community board they will no longer act upon input from local residents, the college's administration should take neighborhood views into account as it moves forward with its plans. It should consider revising its current proposal to accommodate the wishes of local residents. Further, to reduce the strain associated with the new facilities, the college should work with the community to develop other public spaces and help retail businesses affected by the changes. Manhattan's space constraints create recurring tension between universities that need space for academic buildings and neighborhoods that are trying to protect their identities. Good town-gown relations hinge on compromise. Ultimately, Columbia raised the ire of certain members of the neighborhood, who felt that the University took into account little of CB9's alternative expansion proposal. Even if implementing neighborhood feedback is no longer possible—and it is unclear why that should be the case—City College must now find ways to mitigate the adverse effects of its pending development. Where Columbia came up short for some community members, City College has a similar responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

Tags: Opinion, Editorial Board, CB9, City College, Expansion, Manhattanville