NYU has announced its intention to reduce the proposed square footage for their controversial Greenwich Village expansion plan by approximately twenty percent.
New York University's contentious plan for campus expansion in the village will be reduced from 2.3 million square feet to just under 2 million square feet. The plan adds new dorms, classrooms, and commercial space to the two superblocks surrounding Washington Square Park. The university currently owns and operates 7 buildings surrounding the landmark park.
As one of the top 5 employers in New York City, NYU has its share of proponents. However the Greenwhich Village Historic Preservation Society, neighborhood activists, and the community board have all been vocal dissenters against the plan. Opponents argue that NYU's proposed towers are out of scale with the neighborhood's existing building heights and density.
It was for this reason that the Community Board unanimously rejected NYU's initial development plan despite strong support from Mr. Stringer, the Manhattan Borough President who recommended approval to the City Planning Commission on Wednesday. Although NYU's square footage reduction may seem like a compromise, some have argued that NYU overpitched their square footage to have room to negotiate to their ideal range.
Thanks to Elaine Mahoney
FULL STORY: N.Y.U. Agrees to Scale Back Its Expansion in the Village
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