Mamdani’s City Hall Reverses Stance, Threatens Columbia Over Closed Campus Gates
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has reversed its previous legal stance, threatening to sue Columbia University if the university does not immediately reopen College Walk to the public. The walkway, a pedestrian path on West 116th Street, has been gated since 2023 following campus protests. While the city previously argued the path was private property, new court filings assert it must remain open. Columbia maintains it has the legal right to control access for safety, but residents and the mayor argue the 1953 agreement mandates public access. The city has withdrawn from the existing lawsuit, prompting residents to seek a new filing, while Columbia’s new president has launched an advisory committee to review access policies.