Manhattanville 2022 Master Plan Summary Report

Manhattanville Campus Master Plan Summary Report

THE SQUARE

THE PLAZA

1. Opportunity & Vision 2007

“Columbia is the Quintessential Great Urban University ... This is the primary source of attributes, the defining personality, of this institution. We must embrace it. We must understand it ... It is less possible and less desirable to remain apart, to be removed from the world around us. Accordingly, the task for us is how to engage with that world in a useful and productive way. We must serve society and the world while enhancing the academic character of the university and preserving its distinctive intellectual outlook.”

— Lee Bollinger, Inaugural Address (October 3, 2002)

When completed, Columbia University’s new Manhattanville Campus including public streets will occupy over 20 acres in West Harlem, the principal portion bounded by West 125th Street on the south, West 133rd Street on the north, Broadway on the east, and Twelfth Avenue on the west. The campus will include space located beneath City streets in this area. The remaining portion of the new campus will consist of an area east of Broadway between West 131st Street and West 134th Street.

In 2006 a Master Plan was created to articulate the development of the new campus. The Master Plan, together with Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), Declaration of Covenants & Restrictions (DEC), Special Manhattanville Mixed-Use (MMU) Zoning, and other agreements form the General Project Plan (GPP) for the phased development of the Manhattanville Campus including scheduled milestone dates and developmentfloor-area targets for Academic, Academic Research, Recreation, and University Housing uses on the campus.

The Project Plan gives Columbia University the opportunity to develop the campus with up to approx. 6.8 million gross square feet (GSF) of new floor area (AboveGrade and Below-Grade).

With the 2022 opening of David Geffen Hall and Henry R. Kravis Hall, a major milestone has been achieved with five of sixteen planned new buildings completed. Davis Brody Bond (DBB) was engaged in 2021 to assist in updating and documenting the status of the campus to compare the development completed thus far to the 2006 Master Plan, and to look forward towards recalibrating the plan as necessary for the next steps in continuing development.

Manhattanville Campus Buildings + Uses

MANHATTANVILLE

CAMPUS PROJECT AREA

• Special Manhattanville Mixed Use District Plan approved in 2007

• Subdistrict A – Academic Mixed-Use Area

The Campus Project Area is delineated both in the Special Manhattanville Mixed Use (MMU) Zoning District Plan as Subdistrict A – Academic Mixed Use Area and in the Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions (DEC) Exhibit A – Project Site Map.

CAMPUS TOTAL SITE AREA:

Approx. 728,557 SF

The Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions (DEC) delineates (18) Development Sites within the core campus area including sites occupied by the existing Studebaker and Nash Buildings. The total land area of all development sites owned or controlled by Columbia University within the campus project area is about 728,500 square feet or approximately 17 acres. This land area does not include public streets which run through the campus.

1 The Forum

2 Jerome L. Greene Science Center

3 Lenfest Center for the Arts

Central Energy Plan (CEP)

4 Future Academic

6 Future Research / Recreation

6B David Geffen Hall

7 Henry R. Kravis Hall

8 Future Research / Academic

9 Future Recreation / Research

10 Future Academic / Research

11 Future Housing / Academic

12 Future Research / Academic

13 Future Research / Academic

14 Future Housing / Academic

15 Future Research / Academic

16 Nash Building Academic / Utility Cooling Station

17 Future Housing

ACADEMIC

ACADEMIC RESEARCH

UNIVERSITY HOUSING

FLOOR AREA RATIO: FAR 6.0

Per the MMU Zoning, the allowable Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for University Uses, including Active Ground Floor Uses, is 6.0 for all Columbia sites within the core campus area.

MAX. DEVELOPMENT AIR RIGHTS: 4,417,956 ZFA (Equiv. to approx. 5M GSF Above-Grade Floor Area)

Per the DEC, the total allowable Zoning Floor Area in the core campus area is 4,417,956 ZSF. The projected maximum allowable Above-Grade Gross Floor Area will be about 5 million square feet for all buildings in the core area. (4,417,956 ZSF x Average of new buildings Development Ratio without Studebaker and Nash).

TOTAL GSF DEVELOPMENT CAP: 6,760,673 GSF (Above-Grade & Below-Grade)

Within the Project Area, the Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions caps the aggregate allowable Above-Grade and Below-Grade GSF for New Buildings (not including Studebaker) at 6,760,673 GSF. This will permit at least 1.7M million GSF of Below-Grade support facilities to be built within the campus.

General

PRIMARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE MASTER PLAN

1. Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions (DEC) by the Trustees of Columbia University, dated December 14, 2011.

https://neighbors.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/ content/2011.12.14_declaration_of_covenants_ and_restrictions_-_complete.pdf

2. NYC Zoning Resolution, Article X, Chapter 4 –Special Manhattanville Mixed Use District (MMU).

https://zr.planning.nyc.gov/article-x/chapter-4

3. Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) completion dated November 16, 2007.

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/planning/applicants/ env-review/manhattanville-west-harlem.page

4. General Project Plan (GPP) approved in 2009

5. Master Plan Documentation SOM/RPBW 2006-08

Morningside Heights Central Campus: Size Comparison

COMPARISON WITH MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS CENTRAL CAMPUS (North of College Walk)

Just for comparison, the site area of the North block of the Morningside Heights campus (from West 116th Street to West 120th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue) is approx. 734,000 SF. Its permitted Zoning Floor Area is approx. 4,772,000 SF, making it comparable to the ZFA of the Manhattanville campus. Note that the actual Zoning Floor Area utilized at Morningside is only about 1,920,000 SF. This number is about 40% of the permitted zoning floor area.

2. Accomplishments to Date

2022 AS-BUILT CONDITION

18 development sites established by the Master Plan:

• Two (2) development sites occupied by Studebaker and Nash buildings*

• Five (5) development sites completed w/ new buildings

• Eleven (11) remaining development sites

* Studebaker building will remain; Nash will be renovated as part of Site 16.

Site 2

Site 3

Site 1

Site 6B

Site

SUMMARY

ADDITIONAL ABOVE GRADE COMPLETED TO DATE

• The Grove • The Plaza • The Square

• 12th Avenue Market Zone adjacent to Kravis

• Mid-block Woodland Walk from W125th to W131st St.

• Studebaker Roof Emergency Generator Plant

• Retail and other Urban Layer public amenity spaces

BELOW GRADE COMPLETED TO DATE

• Site Utility Relocations and Upgrades

• Deep Foundation Slurry Walls surrounding Sites 2–7

• Central Energy Plant and Plant Expansion

• Central Receiving/Distribution, Services & BG Support

• Bridge Structures: Eastern Half of the W130st and segment between Studebaker & Geffen along W131st

GSF Above & Below Grade As-Built (Sites 1–7)

*

1.13M

4.42M

3.2M

ZONING

KEY SUMMARY & OBSERVATIONS

The five new buildings and adjoining landscaped areas have established the form and character of the new campus that is now visible and accessible to the public and to Columbia students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The below-grade campus support programs, while not as visible to the public, are equally important for the efficient functioning of the campus and for enhancing the quality of the “Urban Layer” — the active public zone surrounding and continuing within each of the new buildings.

Benchmarking. Compared with the original master plan, the five new buildings utilize 87.6% of the development potential shown in the 2008 Illustrative Plan. This reduction in density of the as-built development can be attributed to several factors, including:

1. Refinement of building scale and volume to reduce visible mass, allow daylight to penetrate deeper into buildings, and provide better visual connections between indoor spaces and campus context.

2. Adjustments for revised program requirements, project scales, and budgets.

3. Enhancements to the Urban Layer including outdoor spaces and linkages.

Additionally, a Multi-Campus Transportation Program was adopted in lieu of building below-grade parking.

3. Future Developments

This is a moment to reflect upon achievements to date as well as future opportunities. Continuing to develop the available site parcels at the current rate will likely result in an overall development that is smaller than the maximum 6.8 million GSF opportunity.

Columbia’s long-term investments in this campus and the research, academic, campus and community life opportunities garnered will be the primary drivers for future developments. Key physical and regulatory considerations include:

• Zoning Resolution Article X Chapter 4: Special Manhattanville Mixed Use District. NYC’s urban framework for the size and scale of the campus buildings and open spaces, specifying ZFA and building massing, qualitative considerations (lighting, signage, etc.), as well as permitted community facility uses.

• Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions between NYS and Columbia University stipulating the implementation of the General Project Plan (GPP) for the redevelopment of this approx. 17 acre site with regards to the higher education facility uses, the development timeline, construction and operation requirements, and community benefits and commitments.

Development By Blocks

The DEC requires Columbia to merge adjacent zoning lots prior to construction of new buildings. From a zoning perspective this means that the campus will ultimately consist of (7) large zoning lots, (6) of which will be full city blocks. Normal zoning requirements pertaining to lot coverage, side and rear lot line setbacks, and rear yard requirements do not apply to development within the Project Area. Site 17 on Block 1987 is the only site that will have a side lot line condition.

When zoning lots are fully merged the Zoning Air Rights will be calculated by Block rather than by Development Site. This means that development air rights can be shifted between development sites within any block without requiring a formal air rights transfer process.

Below-Grade Spaces Including Space Beneath Public Streets

Public Streets will be maintained through the campus. Per the DEC the University is permitted to develop connected Below-Grade cellar and sub-cellar levels beneath portions of the Public Streets west of Broadway. Below-Grade levels may be used to house programs including Academic and Science Support, Energy Center, Recreation, Central Receiving, and other functions.

The total site area of the Public Streets below which the University can build occupiable space is approximately 134,000 SF. Land area of Public Streets does not contribute to Columbia’s allowable Zoning Floor Area. The potential site area for Below-Grade use consisting of all development sites plus the 134,000 SF of street area comes to about 862,500 SF total.

Undeveloped Air Rights By Block

With the completion of Site 1 for the University Forum there remain about 66,000 ZSF of unused air rights on Block 1995. No other block has been fully developed at this time. We anticipate that most of the remaining air rights on Block 1996 will be used when Site 4 is completed, and most of the remaining air rights on Block 1997 will be used when Site 6 is completed. However, it is likely that future Site 4 and Site 6 buildings will not fully utilize all available air rights on their respective blocks. This leaves open the possibility of transferring air rights from Blocks 1995, 1996, and 1997 for future development.

Transfer of Air Rights Between Blocks

The transfer of unused air rights is specifically permitted by MMU Zoning Section 104-52. Air rights may be ‘transferred by notice’ from Blocks 1995, 1996 & 1997 to Blocks 1986, 1987, 1998 & 1999 under the following conditions:

1. Transferred air rights can only be used for Community Facilities.

2. Open Public Space of the Grove, the Plaza, and the Square will be maintained.

3. No changes to zoning height & setback requirements.

As a result, Columbia has the ability to transfer unused air rights, “by notice,” from the three blocks South of W131st Street to the four blocks north of W131st Street.

The transfer of unused air rights from and to other blocks within the campus may be possible, but only with authorization or special permit granted by the City Planning Commission.

MILESTONE OBLIGATIONS

The Declaration (DEC) of Covenants & Restrictions Article II Development and Use of the Subject Properties, Section 2.10 identifies each site’s milestone obligations for the initiating construction, subject to the DEC ratification date, delays due to uncontrollable circumstances, and allowable time extensions in association with active construction processes. The DEC timeline was conceived as the most aggressive and therefore the most conservative for the purposes of the environmental assessment, and the resultant neighborhood construction mitigation requirements in terms of traffic, noise, and dust.

The original DEC timeline required that all sites initiate construction prior to the end of 2030. Though dates have been marginally extended for reasons noted, for purposes of this document, the 2030 timeline will be referenced. With some flexibility, the sites were to be developed by block moving from south to north, beginning with Block 1995 and Site 1, and concluding with Block 1999 and Sites 11, 12, 13 & 14 west of Broadway. Sites east of Broadway, including Sites 15 and 17 were also expected to be in construction by the end of 2030.

2022 Above Grade GSF

By Use

DEC DEVELOPMENT USES & COMMITMENTS

Above-Grade Uses are permitted by Site in the DEC, Exhibit U. On most Sites the DEC establishes two permitted Above-Grade Uses. This offers the University opportunities to develop Mixed-Use buildings if desired on (9) of the sites remaining to be developed. Below-Grade Uses include support activities for Above-Grade Uses in the Project Site. Below-Grade Uses do not need to be located beneath the Above-Grade Uses they support.

172nd Street Housing Commitment

The development that equals or exceeds the creation of 333,854 above grade GSF will trigger the University’s requirement to build graduate student housing at 172nd Street as outlined in the DEC.

PRIMARY BUILDING TYPOLOGIES

Modern academic and academic research programs typically desire large floor plates for functional efficiency and long-term flexibility. The FEIS included a benchmarking analysis supporting larger floor plates for Academic Research laboratories. Academic programs may be less constrained by floor plate sizes, however there is a clear trend as shown in Kravis and Geffen Halls for larger floor plates to accommodate classrooms, lecture halls, open forums, media facilities, and other academic programs.

The Master Plan is particularly valuable to Columbia in establishing larger, less encumbered sites for future academic and research programs, as well as space for a future recreational center. In addition, the Master Plan allows Sites 9 and 10, Sites 11 and 12, and Sites 13 and 14 to be combined to create even larger floor plates if desired for future programs.

DEC Section 3.02(a)(ii) p.42, Graduate Student Housing:

“The Program Plan submitted by CU that identifies the New Building that will, together with all previously approved Program Plans for New Buildings, cause the creation of an aggregate of 1.2 million or more GSF of above grade space in New Buildings, shall specify the date by which CU shall develop at least 159 units of housing on the 172nd Street Site for graduate students or post-doctorate researchers employed by CU and associated with the Stage 1 and Stage 2 New Building programs, as described in the FEIS, which date shall be at least 2 years prior to the anticipated completion date of such New Building. Upon the City’s or ESDC’s request, CU shall provide the City and ESDC with a description of the programs or school affiliations of the graduate students and post-doctorate researchers resident at the 172nd Street Site.”

As seen in Jerome L. Greene Science Building, Lenfest Center for the Arts, Kravis and Geffen Halls, there are a variety of architectural strategies to introduce daylight and open space into larger floor plate buildings including intercommunicating stairs, double height spaces, atria, galleries, etc. Floor-to-floor heights ranging from 15’ to 18’ and higher have become more common for new academic and academic research facilities to meet program requirements and provide long term flexibility for future change and evolving technologies.

1.57M

4. Additional Campus Development Considerations

• Updated drawings indicate the 30’-0” shift in the boundary line between Site 6 and Site 6B to accommodate a larger footprint for the Business School’s David Geffen Hall. This reduces the available footprint of Site 6 without reducing the allowable zoning floor area for Site 6 development.

• Individual & combined floor plate areas are illustrated for site pairs 9-10, 11-12 & 12-14 in anticipation of possible combination of project sites for more development options including mixed use scenarios.

• Building Sites 4, 10, and 14 at the west side of the campus should take into consideration the Base Design Flood Elevation (BDFE) which is located above the lowest street-level entry points at these sites.

• Building Sites 4, 6, and 8 have been cleared and are available for redevelopment. Additionally, Sites 4 and 6 have below-grade retaining slurry walls in place.

• The temporary street-level loading dock in the Jerome L. Greene Science Center should be able to be decommissioned, consistent with the original Master Plan and with the 2022 completion of the below-grade Central Receiving and Distribution Center.

• FDNY and NYC Building Codes effectively prohibited construction of a central below-grade chemical storage facility originally intended to be located adjacent to the below-grade receiving dock. As a result, a central chemical storage facility will likely need to be located above-grade as part of the next research building that requires chemical use.

• Columbia-owned sites outside of the 17-acre Manhattanville Master Plan Project which include:

a. University property on the south side of West 125th Street between Broadway and 12th Avenue including Prentis Hall, 560 Riverside Drive, and the open mid-block site.

b. University property west of 12th Avenue.

• Escalator Upgrades to the MTA W 125th St. Station

• Sustainable Columbia Plan 2030.

• Ongoing Campus Engineering and Infrastructure studies and initiatives in support of the Sustainable Columbia Plan 2030 goals:

• Electrification of the Campus

• Central Energy Plant Expansion

• Geothermal Potential

• Photovoltaic Potential

• Energy Storage Options

• Connections and continuities between the Morningside, Manhattanville, and Medical Center campuses, including transportation studies.

• Long term University Strategic Planning, Program Development, and Financial Analysis

5. Conclusion

The accomplishments thus far are to be commended. The University has proceeded with great respect for Community, City, and State covenants, services, and benefits. As long-term stewards of this property, the University developed sustainable environmental “clean construction” requirements, campus design principles, and quality development standards that have resulted in a diverse and burgeoning new campus — one that is integrated within and contributing to the surrounding urban neighborhood. Continued success will require careful decision-making and complex choices related to the programming, size, and quality of future developments as well the utilization and occupancy of the buildings and open spaces.

“This is a milestone for Columbia not only because we are building a future in our home community, but also because we’re doing so with the best urban planning principles and architectural designs that reflect both the shared values of city life and the fundamental need for a more sustainable society.”

— Lee Bollinger, September

1, 2016

“A truly great university, and Columbia is a truly great university, will continually ask itself whether it must change the ways in which it thinks and the ways in which it serves.The period of the unfolding of this new campus in Manhattanville should be a time in which we demonstrate that courage and confidence in ourselves to re-evaluate what we take to be important and the roles we should assume in the world.”

— Lee Bollinger, Remarks

at the Manhattanville Campus Dedication Ceremony (October 24, 2016)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Report Concept, Text, Graphics & Drawings

Davis Brody Bond Architects and Planners (William H. Paxson, AIA, Partner-in-Charge, Brent Klokis, Jeana Kwon, Astry Duarte, Dylan Jhirad) with Columbia University Facilities and Operations

Photography

Site panorama on pp. 5 and 10-11 by Columbia University Manhattanville Development Group; p. 7 photo by Eileen M. Barroso, the University Photographer; pp. 16-17 photo by Albert Vecerka; photo on this spread by Iwan Baan.