Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is set to announce Cornell University and its partner, the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, winner of the intense, yearlong competition to build a New York City Tech Campus on Roosevelt Island. The announcement follows Stanford University’s unexpected withdraw from the competition after tense negotiations with the Bloomberg administration. Meanwhile, last Friday Cornell received a $350 million donation in support of their proposal, being the largest gift the University has ever received.
Bloomberg hopes the Tech Campus will elevate New York City to become a world leader in computer engineering, while sparking an explosion of technology and science entrepreneurism within the city. In order to help the effort, winners will receive nearly-free land and up to $100 million in city improvements.
The proposed campus is designed by Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM). Landscape will be designed by James Corner Field Operations. Driving towards becoming the largest “net-zero energy” building in the eastern United States, the campus will use solar energy and geothermal wells to reduce energy consumption. The campus will also include storm water treatment, community gardens and 500,000 square-feet of open green space dedicated to the people of New York City. View ArchDaily’s previous coverage here to review Cornell’s NYC Tech Campus proposal.
The announcement is set to take place today at the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center on the Upper East Side. Cornell University has promised to have classes running by next September.
Reference: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal
