NYU submitted its application to construct a fourth tower in the I.M. Pei-designed Silver Towers complex to the Landmarks Committee of Community Board 2 last night.
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The meeting, held in the gym of Grace Church School, was packed with community members and activists.
As soon as people began finding their seats, colored pieces of paper that read "NYU STOP THIS MADNESS" and "NO MORE ROOM FOR NYU" began circulating.
"This is a critical first step to gain clarity on whether or not the building would go on our landmark site, which is the preferred plan, or on the Martin," NYU vice president of government affairs and community engagement Alicia Hurley said.
Mark Husser, chief architect of the project, began with a presentation of the proposed plans, which incorporated several elements of Pei's original three towers into the fourth one. According to Husser, the designs allow the fourth tower to engage in a "dialogue" with the other three.
But Andrew Berman, a notorious critic of NYU's expansion in Greenwich Village and director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation disagreed.
"Silver Towers was designed by one of the great architects of the late 20th century. He knew exactly what he was doing that's why this was landmarked. Adding a fourth tower is saying a fish needs a bicycle, it's just completely out of place," Berman said.
"We feel strongly that our proposed siting of the tower would better honor Mr. Pei's work; would better protect the light and air now enjoyed by Silver Tower and 505 LaGuardia residents; and would clearly allow for new, improved open spaces," NYU spokesman John Beckman said.
Approximately 40 community members also testified at the meeting against constructing a fourth tower.
"We're not being treated as neighbors, we're being treated as second-class citizens," 16-year-old Tyler Goldberg said, who has been living in the East Village all his life.
"I don't think that NYU can justify doing what they're doing to Greenwich Village," longtime resident and community activist Claudia Levy said. "I think you can tell from the turnout tonight how deeply people feel and how outraged we are from what is going on. [NYU is] a private institution ... not operating for the public good."
Committee chair Sean Sweeney said Community Board 2 can only recommend that the plans be approved or denied. "It's up to the [Landmarks Preservation Commission] to do what they want. Two-thirds of the time they listen to us."
The vote will be held at the next CB2 meeting on Thursday, Nov. 18 at 6:00 p.m.
