☞ READ: Mixed Retail Signals at Columbia

We received a note to our in box that the Columbia Spectator recently wrote an article about the long vacant 7,000 square foot retail space at 121st and Amsterdam but the feature left out a few details about why the community might be upset by the university's decision to keep the space for its own facility use: LINK.  Based on a letter drafted for tomorrow's Community Board 9 meeting (which overseas West Harlem and Morningside Heights), there's been some tense history on this particular corner of the north side of campus.

The convoluted history seems to have started back in the 1960's when Urban Renewal projects took over many of the blocks north of the area. Four residential buildings were demolished on the site in question which would remain vacant until the School of Social Work opened in 2004 (top two photos).  The 150 units of affordable housing once promised in 1970 didn't actually show up and locals were now just hoping that the 80 percent retail space that was promised at the ground floor would materialize since it would help open up the north campus block to the public. A retail anchor was reportedly difficult to find so the space is now being used as part of the campus.  With that said, the opening of the substantial coffee shop (lower photos) in the past month on the second floor of the new science building (which is just a block away) has brought a mixed message on the priorities put in place as the campus expands.