NYC council OKs plan to expand NYU

The City Council gave final approval Wednesday to a plan to expand New York University's footprint in Greenwich Village -- a move critics warn could change the character of a beloved neighborhood that has nurtured artistic and social movements throughout the decades.

Dozens of protesters were escorted out of the council's chambers before the vote on the plan, which calls for four new buildings in the area around Washington Square Park.

After objections from neighborhood residents and NYU faculty members, the proposal was reduced this month to 1.9 million square feet of new classroom space and other facilities for the more than 50,000 students at the nation's largest private university.

Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, said the construction threatens to destroy what makes the area so special.

"The character of the neighborhood will shift from a diverse neighborhood where a variety of different kinds of people come together, to the equivalent of a company town, where a single institution controls and defines the neighborhood," he said.

But Councilwoman Margaret Chin, who represents the area, argued the reduced plan cuts the amount of planned above-ground construction by one-quarter, ensuring "that NYU's growth will occur at a sustainable pace well into the future."

"It is important for New York City and the village that NYU has the capacity to meet its growing academic needs," she said. Supporters have argued that the school's ability to attract top students boosts the city's economy because many stay in the area after graduating.