A rendering of Columbia’s proposed Steven Holl-designed athletic facility at Baker FieldColumbia University got the OK from the Department of City Planning yesterday on a zoning variance that will allow it to build a new, Steven Holl-designed athletic facility at its waterfront Baker Field sports complex in Inwood, according to DNAinfo. Normally, property owners would have to exchange 15 percent of their land for public waterfront access to build, but the plan approved yesterday allows Columbia to give up only 1.5 percent for that use. Columbia sought an exception to the rule because it said it doesn’t currently own enough waterfront land at The Broadway and 218th Street site to meet the city’s requirement, and instead wants to develop some of the city’s adjacent waterfront land as an addition to Inwood Hill Park. The proposal still needs approval by the City Council, which will hold hearings over the next 20 days to discuss the plans. [DNAinfo]