Stringer Hears Out Community Opinions at Public Forum

At a public forum held by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer Wednesday night, West Harlem residents and business owners, elected officials, Columbia students, and Columbia expansion supporters and opponents testified for four hours, expressing their opinions on Columbia’s 197-c plan and Community Board 9’s 197-a plan.

The hearing—part of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure—was held in the Aaron Davis Hall at City College. While CB9’s summertime public hearings were characterized by constant catcalling, booing, and general chaos, Stringer and his army of staffers proved more adept at keeping the peace.

This time around, former Mayor David Dinkins was not booed until he had left the microphone.

“The booing of respected people on all sides is not going to be tolerated,” Stringer said. He made similar announcements throughout the night, often directly scolding audience members.

University President Lee Bollinger spoke uninterrupted as well.  He used his five minutes to sell the University’s proposed expansion plan with the impact it could have on research on climate change and debilitating diseases. Bollinger described the plan as an “effort by Columbia to be a neighbor, and all that entails.”

Bollinger was supported by Lee Goldman, the executive vice president for health sciences, who said that space has become a critical problem on the research and medical campus. Throughout Goldman’s testimony, and the testimony of anyone who subsequently supported Columbia’s 197-c plan, many audience members waved blue pieces of paper designed to look like fake dollar bills with Bollinger’s face printed on them. Resting on the head of Columbia’s president was a crown that had been drawn in.

“I am not against Columbia expanding,” said Norma Ramos, whose response was typical of most West Harlem residents. “But they should get the properties they want lawfully and legally, without strong-arming people.”

City Councilman Robert Jackson, D-West Harlem and Washington Heights, and State Sen. Bill Perkins, D-West Harlem, both testified at the hearing. Jackson, who will have a vote in the ULURP process when Columbia’s zoning proposal reaches the city council, did not stake out a position on the plan, instead saying he had come to listen.

Perkins was less ambivalent. “I am strongly opposed to the Columbia plan,” he said. “I emphasize my opposition, especially because of the weapon of eminent domain that is being used to force people to concede to Columbia’s demands.”

Members of the Coalition for the Future of Manhattanville—a group organized by Bill Lynch Associates, LLC, a lobbying firm hired by Columbia to lobby in support of its Manhattanville expansion—came to the hearing, and voiced their approval of Columbia’s plan.

“This area needs to be developed, and it will be developed,” said Rev. Reginald Williams of the United Missionary Baptist Association.  He went on to say that West Harlem would be better served by an institution like Columbia than a for-profit developer.

Dr. Jose Maldonado, the principal of a newly opened math and science secondary school run by the Department of Education in partnership with Columbia, lent his support as well.  “Part of this mission [the high school] is possible through the generosity of Columbia,” he said.

Some questioned the authenticity of Columbia’s supporters. “Most of the people who are speaking in favor of this plan work for or are contracted by Columbia University,” said Bryan Mercer, CC ’07 and a member of the Student Coalition on Expansion and Gentrification.

In addition to testimony on Columbia’s plan and the 197-a, the hearing introduced speakers’ opinions on Stringer’s special zoning district for West Harlem. The plan would rezone an area stretching from 125th to 145th streets, excluding the area within Columbia’s proposed expansion. In an effort to retain some of the area’s physical characteristics, the plan would impose building height limits, and require developers to provide affordable housing or affordable retail space to build to the highest permissible height.

Many CB9 members and West Harlem residents voiced support for Stringer’s plan.  Still others found themselves juggling the terms of the three plans, agreeing to support Columbia’s plan only if it came with significant conditions, or agreeing to support Stringer’s plan if the boundary was expanded to 155th Street.

By 10 p.m., audience members were still lining up to speak, though the audience had dwindled to less than half its original size. Giving up on law and order, Stringer said, “Let it rip,” and patiently waited out the booing and clapping that followed each speaker. Soon he had had enough, and when Rev. Earl Kooperkamp of Saint Mary’s Church approached the microphone, Stringer said the end of the evening was in sight, prompting more booing. At that, he threw up his hands and adjourned the hearing. Columbia officials piled into two vans and drove off, while groups of Coalition to Preserve Committee and Mirabal Sisters members gathered, angered by the abrupt dismissal.

Stringer will vote on Columbia and CB9’s plans next Wednesday. As part of the ULURP process, the plan will then go the city planning commission, where it will be reviewed, possibly changed, and voted on.