Community First Breathe of Fresh Air

In yesterday's El Diario, the paper editorializes against the Columbia expansion plan because of the university's failure to integrate its vision into that of the community's. As the editorial points out: "New York City owes its greatness to vibrant neighborhoods. Columbia’s expansion should fit into the community’s vision—not the other way around. The Commission should take its cue from Board 9."

What a radical notion! It's good to see that there are some journalists who understand that the Columbia ubber alles approach is inequitable, and will lead to the displacement of long time residents and businesses.Unless, of course, the expansion plan gets modified to better reflect community needs.

From what we hear, the community folks will be out in force down at CPC on Reade Street today at 1:00 PM. We've never seen the voice of the people fall on so many deaf ears; but the commissioners at the planning commission raise tone deafness to an art form-with New York's Burden leading the elitist charge. There was never a planning commissioner more suited to the reflexive use of the rubber stamp than Amanda; someone who elevates architecture way above the needs of real people.