Community Board Approves Design of Natural History Museum Expansion

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The proposed $325 million Gilder Center expansion to the American Museum of Natural History took another step forward Wednesday night. The full Community Board 7 voted to approve the design for the Gilder Center and a subsequent redesign of Theodore Roosevelt Park, effectively putting an end to a debate that took up much of the board's time in the past months.

The vote was near-unanimous — with 37 board members approving, one against and three abstaining.

From the beginning of the meeting, Community Board chair Elizabeth Caputo made it clear that the board was simply voting on the project's design, not other concerns over the environmental impact of the expansion.

"We're voting on the design and appropriateness of the building and the park within the context of the historic district," Caputo said.

Community Board members were told not to consider concerns such as mitigating the loss of parkland and controlling traffic flow near the museum's new Columbus Avenue entrance until the board discusses the project's Environmental Impact Statement.

But that didn't stop residents from voicing those concerns during the meeting.

During the public comment section of the meeting, residents opposed to the Gilder Center design called the building a "monstrosity" and accused the Natural History Museum of trying to build event space disguised as an educational facility.

In the end, the Community Board showed strong support for the expansion project. While some board members expressed concerns over the expansion into the park and the volume and height of the proposed new buildings, they also applauded the museum's design.

"I do think that on balance that the pluses of the design, both the park design and the museum's new building, outweigh the negative of removing a quarter-acre of park space," Klari Neuwelt, chair of the board's parks and environment committee said Wednesday.

Although the Community Board voted to approve the Gilder Center design, it is just an advisory board. The design will not be officially approved until it gains the approval of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, which will discuss the project during an Oct. 11 meeting.

Photo: Patch