Former City Parks Commissioner Signs On To Lawsuit Opposing NYU Expansion
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A former New York City parks commissioner is signing on to a lawsuit to block New York University's expansion plan.
Henry Stern testified that NYU illegally took over four protected Greenwich Village parklands with the city's approval.
The university said that the land in consideration is not officially mapped as parkland and therefore exempt from a state law requiring the legislature to approve giving away parkland.
But Stern said the land should be protected based on the fact that it was used as a park.
The petitioners in the lawsuit are asking the state's Supreme Court for a hearing in light of the new testimony.
NYU said the request is just an attempt to avoid the judicial process.
The university is moving to add 6 million square feet to its campus over the next 20 years.