Move over Silicon Valley. New York City – currently the second leading tech hub in the nation – could soon climb to the top spot with the help of a strategic plan recently unveiled by the Brooklyn Tech Triangle coalition. Led by WXY Architecture + Urban Design, the new plan for downtown Brooklyn calls for changes meant to attract high-tech businesses, startups and employees. Details include new transportation corridors, bike paths and footbridges, re-energized and pedestrian-friendly streets, and a host of new green spaces.
The Brooklyn Tech Triangle coalition is a group led by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, the DUMBO Improvement District and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. WXY’s founding principal Claire Weisz believes that the plan will help make the Tech Triangle a great place for tech firms to be – encouraging cafes and new outdoor spaces, better cycle routes, and new spaces for startups.
“Innovative companies want to grow and create great jobs here. We have to unlock the potential of our real estate – the buildings that were home to New York’s industrial boom once before – to make sure they can do just that. We also have to unlock the potential of our local workforce to make sure they can give those jobs to New Yorkers for years to come,” said Alexandria Sica, executive director of the DUMBO Improvement District. “The Brooklyn Tech Triangle coalition looks forward to working with residents, companies and elected leaders to turn these ideas into reality.”
By 2015, the tech sector in Brooklyn alone is expected to reach about $6 billion in value, with some 4 million square feet of space for tech companies. WXY’s proposed plan also lays out five key challenges that must be addressed in the area including: finding space for tech to grow; developing a new tech ecosystem; establishing greater access and commuting throughout the Tech Triangle; upgrading the energy and vibe of the Tech Triangle; and making the triangle highly tech friendly and accessible.
For more information on the Brooklyn Tech Triangle, visit www.brooklyntechtriangle.com.
Images via WXY
