Tuesday, December 8, 2009

"Space-starved" NYU to also ruin Governors Island?



As you may be painfully aware, NYU aims to increase its space in New York City by approximately six million square feet by the year 2031. Aside from swallowing you whole and likely forcing you to move to, say, Delaware, expansion plans include a possible university center on Governors Island, Washington Square News reports today. Why? "We're space starved," NYU President John Sexton said.

Here's more from the article:

Sexton said he would like NYU to begin executing its 2031 plans as soon as possible. He anticipates the opening proposal to be completed in mid-January and construction for the first project to be completed by the following summer.

NYU hopes the 2031 expansion will make the degrees of NYU alumni more viable.

"It's our task to make sure that the value of your degree becomes more and more potent," Sexton said. "From now on, I don't want to refer to us as New York University. I want to refer to us as 'the New York University.' "

11 comments:

prodigal son said...

This may actually be the best possible use of the Governor's Island space, other than as a prison.

Most of the other ideas require better access to transportation for the island, and in some cases more access to water, than the city government is capable of providing at this point. Roosevelt Island, for example, has a subway station, a tram, and a pedestrian bridge and development there still fell short of expectations.

The park idea has the same problem as the high line "park", the costs of operating it (in this case ferrying people back and forth) are just way higher than should be the case for a park.

They really should have just kept the Coast Guard there. Its not like there is insufficient reason for the Coast Guard to have a presence in New York harbor.

EV Grieve said...

Perhaps as a prison for misbehaving NYU students?

But seriously... I've lost track of the different potential uses for the island, such as a casino. Not sure how NYU could pull this off — the costs for security and transportation alone makes it seem prohibitive....

glamma said...

they're still GROWING... what re they feeding these people!

Barbara L. Hanson said...

Sexton was an arrogant SOB when he ran the debate club at my Brooklyn high school; none of his behavior now suprises me in the least.

Jeremiah Moss said...

NYU space-starved? more like "hungry, hungry hippo."

EV Grieve said...

I'm curious to see if NYU officials will be as transparent discussing plans with the community as they've promised....

Nowooski said...

Maybe NYU should look into reviving its spacious South Bronx flagship campus. Oh, wait, they were so badly managed in the late 70s that they had to sell their main campus to the city to avoid bankruptcy.

Laura Goggin Photography said...

Can all of NYU be relocated to Governor's Island, free up some real estate around here and rid us of the barfing frat boys?

Anonymous said...

Goggla, I mentioned that a few months ago. ALL of NYU to Governors Island....the fact that a group of pompous, out of state artists take it over every summer makes me sick. Send the pukey brats and let the annoying phony out of state artists go the hell home!

Anonymous said...

Oh come on. 3/4's of the people reading this site graduated from NYU. Get off your high horse.

glamma said...

we should start a movement. "MOVE ALL OF NYU TO GOV ISLAND."