FSC Representatives on the University Space Priorities Working Group, 2012-2013: Sewin Chan (spring), Rajeev Dehejia (fall) and Angela Kamer

 

The University Space Priorities Working Group—first announced at the May 2012 meeting of the University Senate, made up of faculty representatives appointed by the schools and the Faculty Senators Council, as well as representatives from the Student Senators Council and the Administrative Management Council—has been formed to solicit meaningful input from our community. With the zoning envelope now defined, the Working Group will take up the task of giving definitive guidance to the University Administration on implementation; of taking account of the existing, pressing space needs of academic units and programs; and of listening to the implications of the NYU Core Project for members of the University community.

For the most up-to-date information on the Working group, visit the Space Priorities site.

 

  1. The plan as it stands: Currently no construction will take place between the Washington Square Village buildings prior to 2022. Most likely, the construction on the southern superblock won’t take place for another two years.
  2. Space momentum: Provost McLaughlin presented a breakdown of the need for space by academic program, both anticipated needs and hoped-for conversion of space that NYU leases to owned space. Read more
  3.  Space planning: Joe Juliano gave a snapshot of the Space Planning Working Group’s guiding principles and an example of their forward-looking and strategic planning process. Read more
  4. Opportunities for expansion outside the superblocks: Martin Dorph presented a summary of real estate opportunities for NYU near the Washington Square Campus. These opportunities are both limited and tend to be very expensive. Read more
  5. Financing real estate expansion: Another presentation by Martin Dorph. He discussed how the Board of Trustees determined how much NYU could borrow for space expansion (short answer: up to 7% of annual budget). With very conservative projections on increased revenue and interest rates, this implies the ability to borrow 1.4 billion dollars. With additional funding from other sources, an addition 1.6 billion dollars can be borrowed. Construction of either of the two buildings proposed for the southern superblock falls well within the university’s borrowing capacity, leaving room for additional capital improvements. He emphasized that the university is not committed to continuing with construction of the full 2031 plan if the university’s financial position worsens. Read more