A Saudi royal’s purported plan to move the proposed Ground Zero mosque to shuttered St. Vincent’s Hospital might spark a tug-of-war between downtown residents and their West Village neighbors.
Some TriBeCa residents yesterday said they want the Park51 mosque project — and its state-of-the-art community center — to stay in their neighborhood near Ground Zero.
“It’s up to the [Park51] developers as to where the mosque would ultimately go . . . [but] I strongly support the project being built here, ” said TriBeCa Community Board 1 Chairwoman Julie Menin.
But some West Village residents were equally eager to have a mosque in their back yard — if it means the return of an occupant to St. Vincent’s.
“I welcome anything here — except condos for yuppies,” said Web designer Tracy Young, 63, of the Village.
Reps for Park51 have denied any deal is in the works to move the mosque away from its proposed spot two blocks from Ground Zero.
City and community board officials also said they have not been approached about any different plan.
The proposed mosque has sparked widespread controversy for being planned so close to what some consider hallowed ground.