Panel: Jane Jacobs and the Future of New York: When the Big Get Bigger: New York Universities and Their Neighbors
More than 40 years ago, Jane Jacobs opposed the construction of New York University’s monolithic Bobst Library on Washington Square South. The world has changed since then, but institutional expansion remains a major force in cities. Plans by Columbia University, New York University, Cooper Union and the United Nations have all met with considerable controversy. This panel will address the specific cases but also the larger issues of urban investment, preservation and regeneration.
7:45 PM EDT on September 13, 2007
More than 40 years ago, Jane Jacobs opposed the construction of New York University’s monolithic Bobst Library on Washington Square South. The world has changed since then, but institutional expansion remains a major force in cities. Plans by Columbia University, New York University, Cooper Union and the United Nations have all met with considerable controversy. This panel will address the specific cases but also the larger issues of urban investment, preservation and regeneration.
- James Traub — moderator
- Hilary Ballon, New York University
- Kent Barwick, Municipal Art Society
- Lee Bollinger, Columbia University
- Judith Rodin, Rockefeller Foundation
Before he began blogging about land use and transportation, Aaron Donovan wrote The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund's annual fundraising appeal for three years and earned a master's degree in urban planning from Columbia. Since then, he has worked for nonprofit organizations devoted to New York City economic development. He lives and works in the Financial District, and sees New York's pre-automobile built form as an asset that makes New York unique in the United States, and as a strategic advantage that should be capitalized upon.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog New York City
Sunset Park Blaze Kills 6 As Lithium-ion Battery Fire Crisis Rages On
The city is experiencing a huge increase in fires caused by the lithium-ion batteries that power the delivery boom. A Thursday fire may be linked.
November 5, 2026
Mamdani Continues Crackdown On Illegal E-Motos With Brick-And-Mortar Sweep
The Mamdani administration catches dozens of brick-and-mortar businesses selling illegal e-bikes as his administration's crackdown continues.
November 5, 2026
Sanitation Truck Driver Arrested After Killing Pedestrian In Bensonhurst
The driver, Timothy McVey, 41, of Staten Island, turned himself in at the 62nd Precinct station house and was booked for failure to yield and failure to exercise due care
November 5, 2026
Election Recap: Street Safety and Transit Won Big Across the Empire State on Tuesday
New York had moments to celebrate for the street safety and urbanism crowd.
November 5, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines: ‘Brace’ for Bike Lanes and Bus Lanes Edition
Voters gave the mayor a mandate to speed up bike lanes and bus lanes and the outdoor dining application process. Plus the news.
November 5, 2026
