This morning, the Supreme Court denied a writ of certiorari to Tuck-It-Away and the Singhs, the last parties opposing the Manhattanville expansion scheme, meaning that they will not be considering the case (official court order list from 12/13 here). This formally ends any possible legal opposition to New York State’s use of eminent domain, and […]

The New York Times reports that the NY Court of Appeals has just released its unanimous ruling to uphold eminent domain for Columbia, clearing Columbia’s way to the 17-acre, $6.3 billion project. The court based its ruling on the Empire State Development Corporation’s proof of blight in the neighborhood. Read more about the Court of […]

This is kinda-sorta-maybe-it! As you may recall, December brought a major obstacle to Columbia’s dreams of expansion: the New York State Supreme Court decided 3-2 that that state could not use eminent domain to secure parts of West Harlem for Manhattanville. The Empire State Development Corporation, the only major defendant in December’s case, has appealed […]

The J-School steals a mixed-media mastermind away from The Guardian. (Wired) Want to be an eminent domain holdout? The Times lists places you might consider moving to. Gentrification is upon us! (and guilty liberals complain). (Spec) The L Hostel in Harlem was shut down by the city. (Gothamist) photo via flickr/paraflyer

 – Photo via The Harlem Eye Ten days ago, student activists and the Columbia administration clashed over the 125th Street establishment Floridita, as the university intervened to kill a NY1 story about the restaurant’s fight with Floridita owner Ramon Diaz. The university claimed to still be in negotiations with Diaz over the termination of his […]

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 […]

From New York City, this is AltSpec, in which we collect references to Alma Mater’s dubious deeds in the wider world.  This week, while we’re all burrowed deep in Butler, the outside world is busy pointing fingers.  A smörgåsbord of topics and lots of straight talk. Jonathan Last’s column in The Weekly Standard has been […]

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 […]

PrezBo hates on ROTC; student council people hate on each other. We all hate lawsuits, right? Well, this one’s gone! Does CCSC hate the internet? This man hates organized food in supermarkets. The hatred of eminent domain continues, but now it has dates.

Nick Sprayregen may be the loudest Manhattanville holdout, but he’s not the only one. Meet Gurnam Singh, owner of two gas stations on 125th Street. He’s the other holdout to Columbia in Manhattanville, though he’s declined to speak publicly about the wrangling until this month. In an exclusive with the New York Times published Sunday, […]

Do you increase Columbia’s net worth?  Or should the admissions officer have accepted Joe State in your place? Capitalism: keeping America on top!  What’s that you say China?  You are going to launch the Bird Nest into space? Money: keeping the J-School on top!  But are there going to be any newspapers left? Manhattanville’s consumer […]

Meet Nick Sprayregen — that’s him over there on the right, alongside anti-Columbia propaganda. For three years, he’s upheld a solemn vow to rally against the University’s expected use of eminent domain by holding onto his Manhattanville storage company, Tuck-It-Away Storage. He’s also the subject of an Observer profile from earlier this week (and one […]

So yesterday the Empire State Development Corp. voted to approve Columbia’s $6.28 billion expansion expansion into Manhattanville.  In doing so, the state designated the area as blighted, which is necessary in order to invoke eminent domain.  The decision came as a result of a blight study by AKRF Inc., which found that Manhattanville consisted of […]