Zipper reconsidered: N.Y.U. retools project it says it can still build

At the Tues., March 4, release of the University Open Space Priorities Committee report, working group members, from left, Professor Lawrence White of the Stern School of Business; Allyson Green, associate dean of the Institute for Performing Arts; Ted Magder, associate professor at the Steinhardt School; and Laurence Maslon, arts professor at the Tisch School of the Arts. Photo by Lincoln Anderson

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON | Aworking group of mostly N.Y.U. faculty members last week issued its recommendations on what should be included in a new building at the current Coles gym site. They suggested a mix of classrooms, performing-arts space, equal space for student and faculty housing, and student study areas, but no retail space.

They also said the universitys development plan is fiscally responsible, but urged the school not to increase tuition or other expenses to help meet construction costs.

In addition, the group recommended the creation of a Superblock Stewardship Advisory Committee, which would provide improved stewardship by the university of the superblocks land and buildings to enhance the neighborhoods quality of life.

The group stated that the university should continue to concentrate its academic activities within the [campus] Core to the greatest extent possible and that increasing the density of activities within the Core improves the academic quality of the institution.

Several days later, President John Sexton announced that he, deans and members of his senior leadership team enthusiastically supported all the working groups recommendations and were prepared to pass on the report to the universitys board of trustees with their glowing seal of approval.

Focus on the ZipperAfter Judge Donna Millss Feb. 7 ruling, in which she found that three out of four disputed open-space strips on the universitys two South Village superblocks are indeed public parkland, New York University is now focusing its development plans on the Coles site.

Mills ruled that the open-space strip in front of Coles is not public parkland, so N.Y.U. says it maintains the legal right to proceed with its building plans there. The new Zipper Building slated for the spot would partly sit on the open-space strip currently used by the Mercer-Houston Dog Run. The dog run would be relocated to the west of the new Zipper.

In addition, the working group noted it is focusing on the Coles site since, under the agreement with the city when the N.Y.U. 2031 plan was approved in July 2012, construction could not start on the north superblock until 2022 anyway. Over all, the group said, regarding any potential construction on the north superblock, as well as on the Morton Williams supermarket site, the university should again consult with a similar advisory group on how to proceed.

The 26-member University Space Priorities Working Group was convened by Sexton in October 2012. Last Tuesday, they issued their report.

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Zipper reconsidered: N.Y.U. retools project it says it can still build