Nick Sprayregen, one of two property owners resisting the  the Manhattanville expansion project, filed a suit today against the Empire State Development Corporation, claiming that the ESDC made various errors in the process of deciding that eminent domain laws apply to the Manhattanville area, allowing the state to seize it and sell to Columbia. According […]

Despite the success of eminent domain efforts, Columbia’s real estate war appears to never cease. Now, they’ve come into conflict with the State Historic Preservation Office, which has created a new historic area of Morningside Heights that includes three buildings Columbia intended to demolish. The three buildings, 408, 410, and 412 West 115th Street (Google […]

Two pieces of (somewhat) Obama-related media: first, one of his first college roommates writes about their time together in the fall of 1981. Phil Boerner ’84, who transferred with Obama from Occidental, remembers Obama that, “as a host and roommate, he sometimes did the shopping and cooked the chicken curry.” Oh, and Obama may have […]

Via City Room, Bwog learns that Duane Reade has rolled out a new logo at newly renovated stores, replacing the longtime interlocking blue and red DR with a black-and-white, non-interlocking version. City Room commenters pointed out that the logo seems to draw its “inspiration” from Radio Shack. But the store, which has been in and […]

Many of you have notified us (and Spec reported earlier) that Swish has suddenly closed, though only temporarily. Some speculated it might be for health code violations, while others chalked it up to a changing look. Bwog tipster Zack Sheppard suggests it may be closer to the latter, and the changes will be culinary as […]

For those of you in the city during break, Bwog art correspondent Kristina Budelis fills you in on what’s happening at the museums and galleries around town: After weeks of dreaming about break, followed by a few more weeks of blithe freedom, some students may yearn to spice up the cycle of sleeping, eating, job […]

Caroline Kennedy may be attracting all the national attention in the quest to replace Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat, Governor (and CC alumnus) David Paterson has not limited himself to famous last names. Yesterday, according to City Room, Paterson interviewed local Assemblyman Daniel J. O’Donnell, adding O’Donnell’s name to a list that includes Kennedy, attorney general […]

 This weekend, Bwog ventured into the heart of Brooklyn to find the best and the bushiest of  the pinus genus.  If you know of any noteworthy XMAS tree purveyors around town, please let us know in the comment section below. Last week, Bwog posted a list of “Things We’re Looking Forward To,”, which at the […]

Though the preferred protest at Columbia now involves food and camping, we always like a good ol’ building takeover. Students at the New School have obliged us, taking over one of the buildings Tuesday morning, and vowing to stay put until their demands are met, which include the resignation of their president, former Nebraska senator […]

At a news conference this morning, the Empire State Development Corporation unanimously voted to use the power of eminent domain to seize the remaining commercial holdouts in Columbia’s Manhattanville expansion zone. That’s bad news for the two property owners who have still refused to sell: storage space owner Nick Sprayregen and gas station owner Gurnam […]

Say goodbye to off-campus Flex at two of its previous locations: Samad’s Gourmet, and the dubiously sanitary Amir’s. Oh and one other thing: It’s not them, it’s you. According to Michael Novielli of Student Auxiliary and Business Services (heretofore known as SABS), “neither establishment had the volume of Flex business it had hoped for.”

Bwog received word today that the famed conservative periodical, the Weekly Standard has published in its most recent issue an adamant critique of Columbia’s Manhattanville expansion, on ideological grounds opposed to eminent domain.  Not only is fair alma featured in the piece as an unyielding slumlord, but another surprising character makes a curious appearance. What […]

Yesterday was a big day for Morningside Heights. Our most famous off-campus building, the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, reopened fully Sunday, seven years after the massive 2001 fire that forced its partial closure. $40 million later, the Cathedral is back in all its splendor. The rededication of drew a crowd of thousands […]

While you were relishing waking up in your bed at home yesterday, Bwog joined the vast crowd of Manhattanites who schlepped downtown in the cold early Thursday morning to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The procession of giant balloons—an enjoyable if odd holiday ritual, when you think about it—included a few new characters among […]

Last night, Culture Editor Tony Gong attended Dimensions’ South Asian food/dance/music showcase benefit concert: The Guria Benefit. Despite language barriers and unfamiliar food, Tony rocked out, and even developed a newfound appreciation for vegetarian food. First of all, the decorations at this thing were off the hook. Our hackneyed and usually depressing Roone Arledge, with […]