(Save thedate: RealShareNew York comes to the Grand Hyatt, NewYork, NY, October 9.)

NEW YORK CITY-The much-contested and much-modified plan toexpand New York University’s footprint on its hometurf of Greenwich Village won final approval Wednesday afternoon,as the City Council voted 44 to 1 in favor of therezoning necessary for the expansion. The rezoning approved by theCouncil will allow the construction of four buildings adding atotal of 1.9 million square feet of classroom and student housingspace. It's part of a larger expansion plan that would add aboutsix million square feet citywide.

According to published reports, Council SpeakerChristine Quinn said the university’s scaled-downproposal was “significantly” different from the scenario presentedthis past January. “It’s about 26% smaller, 26% less dense and lesstall than the original plan, as well as many other changes,” Quinnsaid prior to Wednesday’s meeting. The modified plan was OKed lastweek by a Council committee and subcommittee, leading toWednesday’s vote by the full complement of Council Members.