A High Schooler Pleads with Columbia

On Tuesday, the Empire State Development Corporation held its first public hearing on its outline for Columbia's 17-acre expansion into West Harlem.

One of the first speakers was the daughter, a senior in high school, of the Singh family, owner of a gas station at 129th Street. The gas station is one of two hold-out properties still at odds with Columbia; Nick Sprayregen's storage company is the other.

"If Columbia has to take [our property] away using eminent domain, I am sad to say, our future is looking very grim," the Singh daughter told the audience at City College. "I think it is very unfair, unjust and racist. Columbia is a multi-million-dollar private company... Can they not spare two properties that mean so much to us? Columbia just wants to take advantage of the fact that we are Indian people trying to live the American dream."

The family's lawyer spoke next: "Columbia claims that Manhattanville is an area blight--I don't think that businesses like Fairway view this area as a location of blight, and nor do the people that call this area home. Columbia must not be allowed to steam roll through this area and destroy businesses.

"It is simply a land grab."

Local Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell was one of the few elected officials--and among those in the room in general--to dissent from Columbia and the ESDC's position.

"Some of this is actually a philosophical discussion," Mr. O'Donnell said outside. "Is it appropriate to take away someone's private property that doesn't want to give it up for another entity? Historically, in our nation, we've done so for government and public uses. So we needed a highway, or a water tunnel built, a variety of other things, electric lines, for example, this government has said, ‘We're going to take this away from you, compensate you appropriately, and the public will benefit.' And, so here, they essentially said that a private entity can use eminent domain power; the government can assist a private entity and shift private property from one party to another party. So, philosophically, I don't agree with that.

"Although I do not represent the Manhattanville community directly, I rep most of the community where Columbia university is and I represent many people who will be profoundly impacted by this decision ... I did not call on the ESDC to turn this down, that would make me very naive."

Columbia emailed a statement regarding eminent domain to acquire the Singh family and Mr. Sprayregen's property.

"Columbia has worked successfully over the past few years to negotiate fair deals with all of the other private landowners in Manhattanville area--many of whom speak enthusiastically of Columbia's good faith and fair dealing in meeting their economic and business needs, and helping them find convenient new locations that will keep jobs in New York. The University remains committed to reaching mutually beneficial agreements with the two remaining commercial property owners on these blocks if they agree to do so.

"This plan affirms that ESDC's eminent domain authority will not be used to acquire the small number of residential buildings that cover less than 4 percent of the proposed project area while they remain occupied."