NYU to present community improvement plan next week

New York University is set to present a landscaping proposal for its Silver Towers-adjacent lot to Community Board 2 on Monday, according to Crain’s. It’s a move that some have characterized as an olive branch to community activists who oppose its sweeping expansion plan, which aims to add 6 million square feet of school facilities by 2031. NYU had planned to build a controversial tower on the lot, before withdrawing the plan last November amid community outrage. The school’s revised plan for the space, which includes a proposed toddler playground and dog run, must be approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission before the project can commence. [Crain’s]