Village residents bring NYU concerns to city

At the community meeting to discuss New York University’s long-term expansion plan on Monday, Andrew Berman, the executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, said more than 200 people signed a letter expressing concerns about the university’s growth. The letter urges Mayor Michael Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, NYU President John Sexton and other officials to support alternatives to the university expanding in Greenwich Village. The university plans to expand by 3 million square feet in the area, and a comprehensive expansion plan will be released to the public in the fall. “NYU’s growth has dramatically transformed our neighborhoods over the last 20 years, and the overall effect has not been good,” the letter, obtained by The Real Deal, says. “The current 2031 plan would have NYU not only further expand in our neighborhoods, but actually double its rate of growth. That is unacceptable,” adding that the university should be focusing on utilizing its existing space, and if it needs to expand, to reuse existing buildings instead of demolishing them and rebuilding. A spokesperson from NYU was not immediately available for comment. TRD