Who would be affected by eminent domain in Manhattanville?
There are only two commercial property owners currently subject to the eminent domain process. Columbia has not requested that eminent domain be used to acquire any of the small number of occupied residential properties (with a total of approximately 135 residential units) that cover less than 4% of the proposed project area. By negotiating win–win purchases from local property owners in the 17-acre expansion zone, the University currently owns or controls more than 80% of the parcels in the planned campus area. Columbia continues to hope that such agreements can also be reached with the remaining commercial property owner—as it has successfully with all other private landowners in recent years. If eminent domain is exercised by the ESDC with respect to the remaining commercial properties, the owner would receive fair market value of the properties as compensation. Such compensation is an essential element of the ESDC’s exercise of eminent domain, and Columbia would be fully responsibl
