Growing Together
Expanding on a long history of partnership between campus and community, the Manhattanville campus plan embraces a wide range of shared benefits with West Harlem, New York City and New York State.
While Columbia has a wide array of long-standing community-based programs and partnerships, the University has joined with the West Harlem Development Corporation and Empire State Development in agreements that invest more than $250 million in new benefits to our community, in addition to the local jobs and economic opportunity provided by the new campus.

Community Services
As part of the Manhattanville campus development, Columbia reached a Community Benefits Agreement with the West Harlem Development Corporation and an agreement with the State of New York—“Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions”—committing to a wide range of benefits and amenities for our community.
Benefits We All Share
The new campus plan replaces the postindustrial streetscape of Manhattanville's old manufacturing areas with publicly accessible green space, widened tree-lined sidewalks, retail stores and restaurants that welcome the entire community. From brain science to the arts and business, the new academic centers on campus will feature a wide range of public programming designed for local students, families and businesses.
A Diverse and Local Workforce
Columbia has prioritized employing a qualified, diverse and local workforce, consistently setting ambitious employment and contracting goals. These jobs—and the ones that will employ people after the campus is built—contribute to the kind of meaningful economic opportunity that Columbia is committed to creating in the community.
More than $250 Million
paid to minority-, women- or locally-owned (MWL) construction trade firms operating in Manhattanville since the start of construction in 2008.
More than 1,000,000 Workforce Hours
contributed by MWL construction trade workers—representing 50 percent of the total workforce hours since the start of construction.
* All figures represent nonspecialty construction services and related materials.
“I see people from the neighborhood working at this project and laborers who live a couple blocks away. Those opportunities are great to see.”
News
Watch: A Diverse Construction Workforce Providing Local Jobs and Opportunity
Meet some of the workers who contributed to the construction of the new Manhattanville campus.