Harlem Landowner Sues Over Columbia Expansion

The largest private business owner in the West Harlem area where Columbia University is proposing a 17-acre expansion of its campus is suing the university and the city, arguing that the city did not properly review the environmental impact of the project. Nicholas Sprayregen, president of a storage company, Tuck-It-Away Associates, L.P., said he is especially concerned about a portion of the expansion plan that would create a 2 million-square-foot space underneath the new campus that is known as "the bathtub."

"I believe there are very significant issues that have not been properly addressed by the city and as a result, I am deeply concerned that if construction is allowed to proceed without proper independent review, a disaster may someday occur," he said in a statement. Mr. Sprayregen said he is not trying to stop the Columbia expansion but rather to ensure that if the underground space is constructed, the community is safe. He also intends to challenge the university's anticipated use of eminent domain to obtain the land for its desired expansion, he said. A lawyer in the environmental law division of the city's Law Department, Susan Amron, said through a spokeswoman that the city had not been served the formal legal papers but would review them thoroughly when it did.

A spokeswoman for Columbia, La-Verna Fountain, said in a statement that as a matter of general policy, the university does not comment on pending litigation. "We are confident that the extended public land use and environmental review processes were rigorous and comprehensive," she said. "They underscored that thriving universities are essential for New York City to remain a leader in attracting the talent that pursues new knowledge and creating the good, middle-income jobs for people who seek to improve their lives here."

The City Council approved the rezoning plan for Columbia's proposed expansion in December, paving the way for a ground-breaking. The university is planning to create a campus of research, academic, and graduate housing buildings north of 125th Street.