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Columbia to Hold Community Meeting About Baker Field Construction

By Carla Zanoni | April 20, 2011 1:02pm

By Carla Zanoni

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

INWOOD — Columbia University will hold a community meeting next week to discuss construction plans for its Baker Field complex, which is set to begin at the end of the month.

University officials on Tuesday sent several residents a flyer for an April 26 meeting after some locals voiced concern about the fast pace of construction in light of a yet-to-be agreed upon set of community benefits pact, which would address the impact of construction on neighbors.

"They should firm up the agreement before breaking ground," said Inwood resident Karen Miller, 33. "I've been to the meetings and still don’t feel like things are going to be OK while they bulldoze the site."

Demolition of a small maintenance building on the site where the new sports complex will be built has already begun and holes have been drilled into the ground around the site to determine the quality of the underlying sediment.

According to an environmental assessment statement regarding Columbia’s site, "no evidence of subsurface hazardous materials from a spill or release were found by the soil and groundwater sampling," but it is possible demolition would uncover materials, which could include asbestos and lead-based paint.

Earlier this month, the City Council approved Columbia's plan to move ahead with its proposal to build a 47,700-square-foot field house at 218th Street and Broadway, turning over just 1.5 percent of its property for public use instead of the normally required 15 percent for similar projects.

Columbia’s pre-construction meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 26, between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Chrystie Field House, second floor, 533 West 218th Street.

Columbia University officials announced they will hold a community meeting to discuss soon-to-begin construction on its Baker Field complex.
Columbia University officials announced they will hold a community meeting to discuss soon-to-begin construction on its Baker Field complex.
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Courtesy of Columbia University