Bloomberg voices support for NYU 2031

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has voiced his support for the proposed NYU 2031 expansion plan for the first time yesterday, DNAinfo reported. He said, at an unrelated press conference, that growth is key to the university’s success.

As previously reported, Manhattan Community Board 2 unanimously voted down the 20-year NYU plan Feb. 23. However, plan proponents, including construction workers, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and the Greenwich Village-Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, said NYU 2031 would be a boon because it would create jobs.

Bloomberg did not touch on the subject of job creation, but he did say that while scaling back the extent of NYU 2031 was possible, it could be problematic, DNAinfo reported.

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“I certainly think there is a way [to scale back the plan],” he said at the press conference. “I think you can also destroy NYU at the same time.

NYU 2031 aims to add more than 2 million square feet to the campus. An advisory vote by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer is due this week. [DNAinfo]