Columbia lost eminent domain case. But did it?

At first glance it looks as if Columbia lost: Land Seizure for Columbia Expansion Ruled Unconstitutional!

But it didn't really. There is an urban design element to this issue which should not be ignored.

Should this decision be upheld Columbia would only be prevented from building a “campus.” It already owns a lot of property in the area and it can build on those parcels. It could build on those parcels as if it was just any other property owner. Yes, the overall feel would not be of a traditional isolated walled tree-shaded “campus.” It would be much more urban with buildings along the street grid etc etc. To my mind that would be a much better and safer (in many ways) solution.

Unfortunately most institutional developers think in terms of a nice clean tabula rasacampus and not how the space they need can fit with an existing city. That’s a pity.

In this case Columbia is held hostage to its view that the way to develop the space it needs (which I do not dispute) is in the form of a “campus.” If Columbia could get rid of that antiquated notion it could be under construction immediately as it owns a great deal of land.

Here is another way to look at it: do you want Columbia’s addition to feel like a Robert Moses “campus?” or a Jane Jacobs “neighborhood?” 

David Sucher

Columbia College ’67