Submitted by Jeanette, May 25, 2007 08:46

I understand the need for expansion for the school, but at what cost. Why should the people who have been living and keeping that area vital to the community be imposed upon. For the amount of time that Columbia has been in the area they never thought about expanding towards Harlem because of the negative connotation of being associated with Harlem. For some it was they did not want to go up that far because the area was not what they wanted. Now that Harlem is being revitalized with housing and commercial stores they feel its their right to take away property from those that have been living and doing business in the area. What has Columbia done for Harlem is the question. Have they made any attempts prior to this to even build and mingle with the community? No they haven't. They said they are going to build many community outreach programs, well guess what you have been in the area for sometime and never bother to do it before why now. Listen the only reason is because the prices are still reasonable in comparision to going further downtown. In my opinion thats where you need to go. Go back to doing what you have been doing for the last 20 years or so. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Leave Harlem alone and take the school further downtown or west of where it is not. I feel its very unfair to displace people that have been giving business to a community they have lived in for well over 20 years. How would Columbia like it if the community were to ask that the school be demoslished in order to make way for more aforable housing on their grounds. (not to mention it is definately needed). Columbia leave Harlem alone.

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