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Columbia Officially Files To Build New Graduate Student Housing And McDonald’s On Manhattanville Lot

Property records show that following the demolition of McDonald’s on 600 West 125th street, a new 34-story residential tower will be constructed to house graduate students, with a new McDonald’s opening up on the ground floor.

Columbia University has filed permits to begin construction on a 34-story residential building on 600 West 125th Street in Manhattanville, the lot formerly home to McDonald’s. The building will have 108 apartments for graduate students and 34 for faculty, along with bike storage in the basement, a game room, a playroom for children, and a library. Its ground floor will be home to the relocated McDonald’s.

The permit filing follows a proposal in November at a Community Board 9 meeting. Columbia Spectator reported that the project faced opposition from Mark Levine, the City Council member who represents Morningside Heights, and Dan O’Donnell, the Assembly member who represents Morningside Heights and the Upper West Side, who plans to “fight to the death” to stop the construction of the building.

According to a statement by a university spokesperson given to TheRealDeal, construction will begin in early 2020 and end by Summer 2022. Columbia hopes to contract 35% of work to women- and minority-owned firms. CetraRuddy Architecture is listed on the permits, and the school envisions the building to hit the sustainable standard of LEED Silver, according to Curbed.

Bwog previously reported on the closing of McDonald’s in Manhattanville.

The aforementioned lot pre-demolition via Flickr