☞ REVIVE: Manhattanville Demolition Up Close

For those who do not live in West Harlem, the whole new Columbia Manhattanville campus is quite confusing to figure out so we are taking a closer look at Phase 1 that is scheduled to finish in 2015. The first image is the architect's model plan of the new buildings to be built (looking north) in the industrial area of far west Manhattanville (which is bordered by the elevated 1 line on broadway at the eastside and the riverside viaduct at the westside). West 125th Street is the diagonal street at the lower section of the construction area.

The area between 129th and 130th, which has been shown in all the recent photographs (2nd photo down), is highlighted in green at the top model map (click to enlarge). The second photo shows the site looking westward from the elevated 1 subway tracks at Broadway. The furthest building under the dark scaffolding in the distance is the building right before the Tuck-it-Away facility at 12th Avenue (see 3rd photo down for street view). The building furthest west currently under demolition is marked in orange at the top map.

What's left of phase 1 is highlighted in yellow at the top map. The said Tuck-It-Away storage building is the small yellow wedge furthest to the left. The yellow wedge in front of the green demolition area is the Floridita building which also had a lot of controversy in recent years since that business was displaced (this is the low yellow structure with the striped awnings in the 2nd photo). The gas station in question of the the eminent domain hearings is the small triangle right in front of Floridita.

The three smaller buildings furthest south at bottom of the top map (facing 125th Street) consist of a line of low level commercial buildings and a McDonald's at the corner of Broadway. This corner land was negotiated so that a new school would be built for the community (which might be a charter). The last photo shows the current lot today from 125th Street looking south. Check out the diagram of phase 1 on the Columbia site: LINK. Phase 2 will be reviewed further next week. Model map courtesy of SOM and Jock Pottle.