Issue date: 3/8/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Margot Sanchez Josh Neuman and Shan Reddy, who live in 240 Mercer St., discuss disruption NYU's construction might cause.

CORRECTION APPENDED

Residents of a co-op building across from NYU's Warren Weaver Hall have started a petition protesting the university's plans to build a new cogeneration plant under the building, saying that turning Mercer Street into a construction site is unreasonable for the block's residents and businesses.

More than 200 people have signed the petition, which asks for the construction to take place at Gould Plaza instead of on Mercer Street.

The construction could take up to three years. The cogeneration plant would replace the current 30-year-old diesel power plant, which supplies energy to seven buildings. The new plant will simultaneously produce heat and electrical energy and will power 30 buildings with a higher efficiency.

The new plant, to be located in the basement of Warren Weaver Hall at 251 Mercer St., will cost over $10 million.

The petition is similar to one posted last month by Think Coffee, a coffee shop on Mercer, for customers to sign.

Though the community is very much concerned with environmental affairs, Shan Reddy, an officer of the Mercer Street Block Association, said NYU has neglected to thoroughly explore all of its options. Reddy also pointed out that NYU only revealed its plans to the public months ago, even though the project started two years ago.

"They are 'greenwashing' over the issue. Their idea of 'green' is cutting down 30 trees," Reddy said. "We want to keep Greenwich Village Greenwich Village, not Greenwich Parking Lot."

Alicia Hurley, NYU's associate vice president for community affairs, defended the university's project.

"At some point, people will only look at the world through their own narrow perspective, despite the time and effort that is made to fully inform about an issue," she said.

NYU has expressed concern over the need to relocate 1,500 square feet of classroom space if Gould Plaza became the new site, as suggested by the petition. But Josh Neuman, a former NYU professor and current editor of Heeb magazine, said he remembers constant construction and flexibility of classroom location while he was teaching.

"This is a case of might making right, of the university causing adverse effects on the community when there is an obvious alternative," he said. "They just don't have the initiative to absorb the costs, both financial and human."

Neuman also said he's concerned that such "callous and unneighborly action," as Reddy called it, will cause more tension between NYU and the Village.

CORRECTION: In the March 8 issue of WSN, the article "Cogen plant plans draw fire" incorrectly said the construction costs for the cogeneration project will be $10 million. The project will actually cost $125 million. The university would lose 15,000 square feet of classroom space if Gould Plaza becomes the new site, not 1,500, as stated in the article.
Also, the construction will last up to two years, not three years. WSN regrets the errors.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools