Mayor Mamdani backs effort to reopen Columbia University's College Walk, tell me about this news

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that the city is backing the push to reopen Columbia University’s College Walk to the public, threatening prompt legal action against the university if access is not restored.

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What Happened

The dispute centers on College Walk, the segment of West 116th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue running through Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus.

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• The Closure: Columbia strictly limited public access and locked its perimeter gates following the major campus protests and encampments that began in the 2023–2024 academic year, permitting entry almost exclusively to students, staff, and authorized guests.

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• Neighborhood Pushback: Morningside Heights residents and local coalitions have spent years demanding the walkway reopen. Residents argue that losing the cross-campus cut-through forces pedestrians to detour multiple blocks out of their way to travel between Broadway and Amsterdam.

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• The Legal Argument: The dispute stems from an April 1, 1953 agreement where the city transferred West 116th Street to Columbia for $1,000 under the condition that it serve as a pedestrian thoroughfare. Residents previously filed legal action arguing that shutting the public out violates the terms of that agreement.

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The City’s Policy Shift

Under the previous mayoral administration, the city had aligned with Columbia in opposing the residents’ lawsuit. The Mamdani administration has reversed that stance:

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• In court filings, the city, mayor, and NYPD agreed to be dismissed from the existing residents’ lawsuit as part of a formal stipulation.

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• In exchange, the Mamdani administration stated in the filing that the city explicitly supports public access and intends to bring its own swift legal action against Columbia if the gates along College Walk are not immediately reopened to everyday New Yorkers.

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Columbia’s Position

Columbia University maintains that, as the property owner, it holds both the legal authority and the obligation to regulate campus access to ensure community safety and prevent disruptions to university operations. While the administration has introduced pilot guest passes, advisory committees, and QR-code visitor programs, it has resisted an unrestricted return to an open-gate policy.

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