When NYU decided to craft a broad outline for its evolution over the next 25 years, it immediately faced three factors: who would engineer and carry out its expansive design, how to foot the bill and where environmental sustainability fit in.
Designing a plan
In order for NYU to develop a planning initiative with such breadth, university officials solicited design proposals from about 50 architecture, planning and landscaping firms. The university received 11 submissions from joint teams of these firms.
From there, the top three firms were interviewed by a committee that included representatives from the Student Senators Council and the Faculty Senators Council. This committee narrowed the choice down to two teams, and a final decision was made by the Office of Strategic Planning, Assessment and Design.
Four architecture firms made the cut: Grimshaw, SMWM, Toshiko Mori Architect and Olin Partnership.
This design team is fully integrated with the 2031 planning process, said Lynne Brown, senior vice president for university relations and public affairs. Members of these firms have led discussions at the three 2031 open houses in order to listen to the ideas and concerns of members from the NYU and Greenwich Village communities, she added.
Toshiko Mori, one of the principle architects on the team, said the group's overarching philosophy is "to come up with a design which manifests the fact that NYU is in and of the city, and to create a paradigm for an urban university that combines diversity and vibrancy of the neighborhood."
This design team is currently in the phase of developing a master plan for NYU's growth over the next 25 years rather than focusing on specific construction projects, said Lori Mazor, assistant vice president for planning and design.
"At this point, it's not really about specific buildings, but about laying out a framework and a strategy for meeting the growth needs," Mazor said. "It's a broader scope of work than just specific building design."
Endowment and the money
The university's expansion over the next 25 years will not come for free.
Most of NYU's future development will be paid for with loans and money from fund-raising efforts specifically geared toward offsetting the cost of the growth plans, university spokesman John Beckman said.
"It is likely that the development of the additional 6 million square feet will largely be the result of fund raising - money would go to the specific project, not to the endowment - and borrowing," Beckman said.
NYU's endowment, as is typically the case with universities, is a fund of donations invested to grow over time. The principal of the endowment - the initial money a donor gives - is meant to be maintained and built upon, not spent.
The gifts that make up the endowment are usually restricted to a specific area of use by the donors, such as financial aid or academic research. A portion of NYU's endowment is released every year to fund these specified programs.
Beckman said that while the endowment will need to grow with the university for the sake of maintaining the quality of its academic sector, it will not provide much support for expansion projects, largely because of donor restrictions and the need to preserve the endowment's capital.
"As is true of developing more space, growing our financial resources will be crucial to supporting our academic priorities; growth in the endowment will be part of that," Beckman said. "But the endowment will not be the key source of funds for developing space."
Only about 3.5 percent of NYU's annual budget is funded by its endowment, university officials said.
Environmental sustainability
Since NYU kicked off its Sustainability Initiative in October 2006, environmentalism has become a major theme in the university's plans for expansion.
The design team is carefully taking this into account, Mori said.
"Integration of sustainable strategy is important for the future plans at NYU," she said.
One ongoing project, the expansion of NYU's cogeneration plant, will allow the facility to provide energy for 30 buildings in the Washington Square area, an increase from the seven buildings it currently powers. The plant is on track for completion in 2009, said Cecil Scheib, the vice president for facilities construction and management.
The university has joined forces with the city as well; in June 2007, NYU became a partner in Mayor Bloomberg's 30 in 10 Challenge, which aims for a 30 percent reduction in the city's production of greenhouse gases in the next 10 years.
"The benefit is to be part of the city's efforts on a long-term sustainability path that measures perfectly with ours," Brown said. "We had already decided to do cogeneration, but to also be part of the citywide effort we thought was very valuable."
Renovation of the Gallatin building at 715 Broadway, which began over the summer, could provide another environmental milestone for NYU. Planning officials are hoping it will be the university's first building to gain a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The distinction is given to buildings that are particularly environmentally-friendly.
Mazor said while LEED certification is a goal for other future NYU buildings, the design team has not planned on modifying existing buildings to make them LEED-certified.
"It's not part of this team's objective, but it may be something we consider down the road," Mazor said.
Scheib is confident that these plans for sustainability are taking the university in the right direction. The FCM office will be advising the design team on optimal maintenance and efficiency options.
"I think the plan shows how well NYU is actually looking toward the future," Scheib said. "All I can see is the positive. Anything that we build or renovate is going to be more energy efficient and will be an improvement."
Megan Stride is deputy managing editor. E-mail her at mstride@nyunews.com.
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