| Columbia University and the Gentrification of Harlem |
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| Written by Kwesi McDavid-Arno |
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Columbia University and the Gentrification of Harlem By Keisha Saul  Columbia University s plan to expand its historic Morningside campus by an additional seventeen acres has met with widespread opposition. So when does the battle for education meet public resistance When a universitys goal of providing the physical space needed to continue to pursue its mission means the immediate gentrification of a historic, Black neighborhood, and the displacement of residents who currently live in three properties along these seventeen acres in order to accommodate the Universitys demands. The residents of West Harlem have long fought a battle for community perseverance  its continuous competition for affordable housing comes three fold as West Harlems many attractions now become known and desired. One of the many attractions is the easy commute to central Manhattan, a priceless amenity included with each of the many renovated apartments now for rent in the area. In the West Harlem court of public opinion, aversion to Columbia s proposal for the universitys expansion into West Harlem is menacingly untamed. Passionate about their space and the use of land in their community, the residents of this Harlem neighborhood are not the only ones involved in the opposition. In fact, at a recent Committee hearing addressing the 197-a community plan, residents from all over Harlem turned out in mass at the Manhattanville Community Center. Columbias plan, on paper, is to build a new urban academic environment, acculturated to welcome and further the elevation of its surrounding community. The universitys plan is to expand gradually over the next quarter century, dislocating residents and entrepreneurs appropriating the blocks between 129th and 133rd streets as part of this expansion. These local  economic opportunities that Columbias pretense speaks of would require further disruption  to the way of life these residents have been accustomed to for decades. Their community has gone from housing a garage and a fleet of Laundromats on each block to numerous Japanese sushi restaurants and expensive bread made in high class bakeries. As developers compete for their share of the wealth, Columbia heads on the forefront, owning the majority of properties along the border of Morningside Heights and Manhattanville, also known as West Harlem. Very few properties are available to outsiders. So how does Columbia plan on selling their pretentious expansion proposal to the public Part of their expectation is in the assumed ignorance of the West Harlem community. Ironically, Columbia promises to build in a process that is woven into the fabric of the surrounding community when part of the plan is bulldozing already statuesque architectural symbols of West Harlems culture. As if the writing of the proposal itself wasn t already a backhand slap in the face, Columbia has enlisted Bill Lynch and Associates as their remedy to market support for the expansion from the public an outrageously unlawful move in New York State. As the New York State Lobbying Act describes: the term client shall mean every person or organization who retains, employs or designates any person or organization to carry on lobbying activities on behalf of such client. In a smart move on Columbias part, Bill Lynchs firm is referred to as a consulting firm, despite its obvious lobbying efforts. Looks like the universitys multimillion dollar, high powered attorneys advised them well the Act clearly states that the term lobbying shall not include persons engaged in drafting, advising clients on or rendering opinions on proposed legislation, rules, regulations or rates, municipal ordinances and resolutions, executive orders, procurement contracts, or tribalstate compacts, memoranda of understanding. And there it is Columbias hiring of Bill Lynch and Associates is now legal because Bill Lynch is there to consult, render an opinion, and advise Columbia  the client on how to secure a positive vote for the expansion. Way to go Columbia. To add a sweet, sweet strawberry icing to the cake, Lynch stands as one of the Vice Chairs of the Democratic National Committee. Significance Lynch stipulates the budget for the campaigns of local Democratic politicians, some of whom will cast their vote on Columbias expansion.  Not every community leader has weighed money against morals. Tom Kappner has stood with West Harlem in their struggle for land perseverance. As the founder of the Coalition to Preserve Community www.stopcolumbia.org, Kappner has very specific views concerning Columbia and its expansion proposal. The coalitions strategy has been to mobilize the community behind its own 197a, the communitys plan for development which promotes a development that meets the communitys needs for housing, jobs, social services, and the preservation of its historical and architectural integrity, instead of the bulldozing destruction and ethnic cleansing of the community that Columbia wants to pursue. As Columbia s plan gets underway and more information is uncovered, the community remains outraged at Columbias efforts to further gentrify West Harlem. Harlem is united in its opposition, even those who will not immediately be affected by the expansion, proving Kappners end note to be exceptionally true an injury to one is an injury to all. |