While Harlem is the midst of a real estate boom, a plan for Columbia University’s expansion assumes that part of the area will be designated as blighted, paving the way for the university to use eminent domain to acquire property in the proposed expansion zone.

Columbia is trying to buy up all the property in the proposed expansion zone — which stretches between 125th and 133rd streets — but would rely on the state to use eminent domain to complete the project if property owners will not sell.

A draft of the general project plan — a document that outlines Columbia’s plans for development and expansion into West Harlem — was submitted to the Empire State Development Corporation in September and recently obtained by the Columbia Daily Spectator.

The university has hired an outside organization to determine if the area is blighted. Such a determination would likely cause friction in part because the definition of blight is unclear and because the university is funding the study.

“If there was a finding of blight, we would rigorously challenge that, including, if necessary, litigating the issue in court,” a civil rights attorney representing several business owners in the proposed expansion zone, Norman Siegel, said. “If there is any element of blight in that community it’s been caused by Columbia.”

A spokeswoman for the university said Columbia has “invested millions of dollars” in both improving and maintaining the area, and called Mr. Siegel’s comments “an absolutely inaccurate and false accusation.”

Both Columbia and the ESDC stressed that the General Project Plan is a draft and is non-binding.

She said the blight study is expected to be completed by the middle of next week.