Alicia Hurley

New York University announced on Wednesday that it will pursue construction of a new $110 million co-generation power plant under Mercer Street, between West 3rd and 4th streets. The construction will last around two years.

"The decision comes after months of conversation and negotiations between NYU and members of the local community, including Councilman Alan Gerson [and] Community Board 2," NYU administrators said in a release.

While the decision is sure to please most of the larger Village community--no construction under Gould Plaza means that the classrooms below will largely remain intact and the some 600 students who use the rooms weekly will not be sent scattering around the area--the businesses and residents along that particular block of Mercer Street will surely be a little agitated: Namely, the residents of 250 Mercer (the Mercer Street Block Association) and the owner of Think Coffee, Jason Scherr. As The Observer reported earlier this month, they have been extremely vocal in their opposition to the proposed "Mercer Street Option."

Full release after the jump.  read more »

- David Foxley

On a recent Sunday morning in Greenwich Village, a half-dozen patrons of Think Coffee waited in line  read more »