NYU plans to expand to downtown brooklyn

NYU wants science graduate center of its own in Downtown Brooklyn

October 26, 2011 09:30AM

While the Bloomberg administration's eye is on Roosevelt Island for a new applied science graduate school, New York University would prefer to open one in Downtown Brooklyn. Specifically, the New York Daily News reported the school wants to take over the former Metropolitan Transportation Authority headquarters at 370 Jay Street and transform it into its Center for Urban Science and Progress.

"It would make Brooklyn the urban center of the universe," said Paul Horn, NYU's senior vice provost for research. "There are a lot of advantages to being there as opposed to isolated somewhere."

Having released ambitious plans for Roosevelt Island, Stanford and Cornell are seen as the front-runners to land $100 million in construction grants and free land from the city for a science school. But Bloomberg has suggested he may pick multiple winners for different sites. NYU does not see itself in competition with Stanford and Cornell as it would need just $25 million in city funds for the $450 million, 200,000-square-foot project. Plus, it would help breathe new live into a building the city has long wanted to rehabilitate.

The school would feature 50 NYU faculty members and house classes for 400 master's students and 100 Ph.D. students. [NYDN]