NEW YORK CITY-A big technology-related announcement by Mayor Michael Bloomberg Monday stands to hold the feet of commercial property owners to the fire when it comes to their declarations of the broadband connectivity and technology infrastructure of their buildings. But it appears property owners are ready for the change: 10 big name companies have signed on to participate in the program.
Meanwhile, the Mayor says, the city also is set to provide free public WiFi service in a variety of spots in all five boroughs. The offering will be launched in Manhattan in the Flatiron District; along the Water street corridor and the East River waterfront in Lower Manhattan; the 125th street corridor in Harlem and on Roosevelt Island; in Brooklyn along the Fulton Street corridor; the BAM Cultural District; Brownsville and Downtown Brooklyn; and on Roosevelt Island; in Queens around Long Island City; in Staten Island in the St. George commercial district; and in the Bronx on Fordham Road, as well as in other areas citywide.
On the commercial side, the city has introduced WiredNYC, a rating platform that evaluates the broadband connectivity and infrastructure of office buildings. Launched and now operated on behalf of the city by Jared Kushner, CEO of Kushner Cos., WiredNYC has enlisted the participation of ten of the city's largest real estate owners, including Rudin Management, SL Green Realty, Forest City Ratner and Vornado, with over 150 buildings currently signed up for the program—representing approximately 100 million square feet of office space. Forest City already has Forest City Ratner CEO MaryAnne Gilmartin. “We are thrilled to receive received a Platinum broadband designation for MetroTech.
Other participating owners include Tishman Speyer, the Feil Organization, RXR Realty, Jamestown Properties and Shorenstein. Many additional real estate companies are currently in the process of finalizing their participation, with a goal of over 500 participating buildings throughout New York City. Among the participating buildings, many are in the city's emerging technology hotbeds, including Long Island City, Downtown Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan, Chelsea, Midtown Manhattan, and Hudson Square.
The certification rating system, titled “Wired Certification,” will include grades of Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Connected, and broadband information will be shared publicly through a web platform, WiredScore.com.The program has been endorsed by the Real Estate Board of New York, Building Owners and Managers Association of New York, and the Association for a Better New York. It is also supported by a number of technology-focused institutions, including the Telecommunications Industry Association, NY Tech Meetup and General Assembly.
Wired NYC was designed to serve as a template for other cities across the country, with a goal to expand the program into additional cities by the end of 2014.
“If New York City is going remain competitive in the global economy, we must find ways to support the entrepreneurs who are driving technological advances and creating jobs,” says Bloomberg. Adds NYC Economic Development Corp. president Kyle Kimball, “In order to develop and attract the talented workforce that our economy depends upon, we are training New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds in technology and entrepreneurship, which will strengthen our economy for decades to come.”
“Dramatically expanding public WiFi throughout Downtown Brooklyn and bridging the cost of the 'last mile' needed to bring fiber connectivity to office buildings in the district were key priorities outlined in the recent Brooklyn Tech Triangle Strategic Plan,” notes Downtown Brooklyn Partnership president Tucker Reed. “With over 103,000 workers and 12,000 residents working and living upstairs, the Water Street commercial corridor is vital to the economic pulse of Lower Manhattan,” said Downtown Alliance acting President William Bernstein. “As we nourish and grow Lower Manhattan's tech sectors through our newly announced LaunchLM initiative, expanding connectivity and free public Wi-Fi is a tremendous step forward in advancing Lower Manhattan as a global hub of technology and innovation.”
“Mayor Bloomberg has done an incredible job transforming New York City into a center of technology and innovation,” asserts Kushner. “Every day it becomes clearer that tech is the future economy of our city and in that economy, we fundamentally rely on connectivity to operate our businesses.”
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Rayna Katz
Rayna Katz is a seasoned business journalist whose extensive experience includes coverage of the lodging sector, travel and the culinary space. She was most recently content director for a business-to-business publisher, overseeing four publications. While at Meeting News, a travel trade publication, she received a Best Reporting award for a story on meeting cancellations in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
