NYC Mayor Bloomberg Transfers 12 Acres of Roosevelt Island to Cornell NYC Tech Today - Cornell Will Pay RIOC $400,000 Annually For 55 Years, NY State Will Pay RIOC Approximately $22 -24 Million By December 31 2018

Rendering Of Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech Campus

This notion seemed far fetched and utterly ridiculous, if not impossible, back in February 2011:

Will Roosevelt Island Become Silicon Island? Stanford, MIT, Cornell & Other Top Universities Express Interest In Proposed New York City State Of The Art Applied Sciences School - And It May Be Right Here At Coler Goldwater Site

Well, almost three years later the notion proved to be entirely doable.

Rendering Of Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech Campus

Earlier today, exactly two years to the day in 2011 when Cornell University was selected to build the NYC Applied Sciences & Engineering School and following the withdrawal of Stanford University from the competition as well as many, many many community meetings, I watched NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Cornell University President David Skorton sign a 99 year lease for the new Roosevelt Island Cornell- Technion Engineering School campus on the site of the former Goldwater Hospital.

Cornell Right Now: David Skorton & @MikeBloomberg signing the lease to @cornell_tech future home on Roosevelt Island pic.twitter.com/twce0qUjCV
— Cornell University (@Cornell) December 19, 2013

Here's a look at what Cornell is bringing to Roosevelt Island by 2017.



As previously reported Cornell will also be paying the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) $400,000 annually for the next 55 years. Also, NY State will contribute payments to RIOC of approximately $22 - $24 million no later than December 31, 2018.

Here's the Cornell NYC Tech lease signing Press Conference



and Press Release from Mayor Bloomberg's office.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Cornell University President David J. Skorton, and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology President Peretz Lavie today formally executed a 99-year lease between the City of New York and Cornell Tech, which will pave the way for construction of the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island, exactly two years after Cornell and academic partner Technion were named the first winners of the City’s Applied Sciences NYC competition. Cornell Tech is a revolutionary model for graduate-level technology education and is establishing itself as a world-leading institution, conferring graduate degrees and conducting research that drives technology, innovation, commercialization and the creation and retention of businesses and jobs in New York City. The land transfer will allow for groundbreaking on the campus to begin in January, with the first classrooms on Roosevelt Island set to open in 2017. Cornell Tech students began classes this fall in space donated by Google at their Chelsea headquarters on Eighth Avenue. Construction of the entire 2 million square foot build-out, which will span 12 acres on Roosevelt Island and house approximately 2,000 students and nearly 280 faculty and researchers, will be completed by 2043. New details and renderings for the first phase of the full campus were also released today, revealing how the physical campus will be designed to support Cornell Tech’s focus on innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration between academia and industry. Mayor Bloomberg and President Skorton signed the lease documents at a City Hall ceremony to finalize the official land transfer to Cornell Tech, where they were joined by President Lavie, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel, New York City Economic Development Corporation President Kyle Kimball, U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney, Council Member and Borough President-Elect Gale Brewer, Council Member Jessica Lappin, Cornell Tech Vice President Cathy Dove, Cornell Board Chair Robert Harrison, Cornell Provost Kent Fuchs, Cornell Tech Dean Daniel Hutenlocher, Forest City Ratner Companies President and CEO MaryAnne Gilmartin, and Hudson Companies Principal David Kramer.

“Our goal has been to make New York City the global capital of technological innovation, and this new campus on Roosevelt Island is a central part of our strategy for achieving it,” said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “It is one of the most ambitious and forward-looking economic development projects any city has ever undertaken, and it’s going to help add thousands of new jobs to our economy in the decades ahead.”

“The State was proud to work closely with the Mayor’s Office, RIOC and Cornell because we strongly believe that the path to New York State’s continued economic growth will largely be defined by partnerships that start with our State’s academic institutions,” said Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. “This project leverages two of the world’s most notable institutions in a way that will help foster technological innovation within New York State, while creating jobs and spurring business investment.”

“Cornell Tech is the proof that government and universities can work together to innovate and support economic growth, and we will be forever grateful for Mayor Bloomberg’s leadership in making this campus possible,” said Cornell University President David J. Skorton. “The Roosevelt Island campus is being built for the future, to be the place that generates the next big ideas, the new companies and extraordinary talent that will change New York and the world.”

“Thanks to Mayor Bloomberg’s vision, New York City is fast becoming a leading global center of innovation,” said Technion President Peretz Lavie. “Through the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute, our international partnership with Cornell Tech, we look forward to helping to further the city's future as the technology capital of the world.”

Applied Sciences NYC was launched by Mayor Bloomberg in 2011 in an effort to capitalize on the considerable recent growth and even larger opportunity for future growth in technology-related jobs and businesses in New York City, and builds on the Bloomberg Administration’s record of creating a more diversified economy for the City’s future. In July 2011, NYCEDC issued an RFP seeking a university, institution or consortium to develop and operate a new or expanded campus in the City in exchange for City capital, access to City-owned land and the full support and partnership of the Bloomberg Administration, and subsequently received seven responses from 17 world-class institutions from around the globe. Cornell Tech was the first of four Applied Sciences projects to be announced by the City in an effort to strengthen New York City’s global competiveness – including its growing technology sector – and ensure that the City establishes itself as a worldwide hub of science, research, innovation and urban solutions for the digital age and the information economy. Cornell Tech was selected for this initiative based on its innovative model for graduate technology education and its emphasis on the intersections between academia and industry and forward-thinking areas of study. When completed, the new Roosevelt Island campus alone will nearly double the number of full-time, graduate engineering students enrolled in leading New York City Master’s and Ph.D. programs.

The four Applied Sciences NYC projects that have been announced by the Mayor include:

· Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island

· The Center for Urban Science and Progress in Downtown Brooklyn, operated by an international consortium led by New York University

· The Institute for Data Sciences and Engineering at Columbia University

· Carnegie Mellon University’s Integrative Media Program at Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Collectively, the four Applied Sciences NYC projects are expected to generate more than $33.2 billion in nominal economic activity, over 48,000 permanent and construction jobs, and approximately 1,000 spin-off companies by 2046, fulfilling the initiative’s goal of dramatically transforming the City’s economy for the 21st century. These institutions are already strengthening the City’s position as a hub of science, research, innovation and world-class urban solutions in a global economy driven by technological fluency and innovation.

“Mayor Bloomberg’s Applied Sciences initiative will transform the City’s economy, doubling the number of engineering faculty and graduate students in New York City. These are the skills we need to compete in the knowledge and information economy of the 21st Century,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel. “The closing of the Cornell Tech lease is a major step toward that goal and I congratulate Presidents Skorton and Lavie on this critical moment in the arc of Cornell and the Technion’s history.”

“Over only two years, thanks to an unprecedented model of collaboration across City and State government, top academic institutions, and the private sector, we have transformed Applied Sciences NYC from a visionary idea into a physical reality that is already reshaping our City,” said NYCEDC President Kyle Kimball. “Since selecting Cornell and the Technion as our first winners, in partnership with the Health and Hospitals Corporation we have built and opened a new hospital in Harlem that is currently serving former Coler-Goldwater patients; secured all necessary approvals for the Roosevelt Island campus; selected three additional Applied Sciences winners; and launched classes. Thanks to Mayor Bloomberg’s leadership, this initiative will create jobs, businesses, and technologies, resulting in transformative economic activity that will help secure the City’s future.”

“Cornell Tech is extremely grateful for the unwavering support of the Roosevelt Island community throughout the public review process and we are committed to being great neighbors during construction and beyond,” said Cornell Tech Vice President Cathy S. Dove. “We are also fortunate to have such extraordinary development partners in Forest City Ratner and Hudson/Related to help us make this vision a reality.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Cornell and so many great partners to help create a truly extraordinary new place on Roosevelt Island,” said Forest City Ratner Companies President and CEO MaryAnne Gilmartin. “Under Mayor Bloomberg’s watch the City’s tech sector has grown enormously and we are well poised as a company and as a project to continue with that growth at Cornell Tech.”

“With Mayor Bloomberg’s vision guiding the way, Cornell Tech will be at the leading edge of the next generation in tech and applied sciences,” said David Kramer, partner of The Hudson Companies. “We look forward to bringing out-of-the-box thinking to a best-in-class building on the forefront of design and sustainability.”

“I am pleased to join Mayor Bloomberg for this monumental step toward making the Cornell Tech campus a reality. I have strongly supported bringing Cornell Tech to Roosevelt Island from the very beginning of this process,” said U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney. “The campus holds great promise for Roosevelt Island and for New York City, attracting future leaders in the technology and engineering industry. Many of the amenities included in the plans will be open and available to the public, including areas of park space. I commend Cornell for its transparency during the planning process and commitment to being a good neighbor to Island residents.”

“Cornell Tech will generate opportunities and innovations for generations to come, and today we take a step closer to our city's future,” said Council Member Jessica Lappin.

“I applaud Mayor Bloomberg, Cornell Tech, and the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation on their historic lease signing to build a new applied sciences campus on Roosevelt Island,” said Manhattan Borough President-Elect Gale A. Brewer. “This partnership will play a key role in the growth of New York City’s tech sector in the coming years, and will attract new development to Roosevelt Island. I look forward to working with all parties to ensure the success of this venture.”

Academic uses of the campus are anticipated to include classrooms, laboratories, teaming areas, and lecture halls, as well as start-up incubator/accelerator space to encourage entrepreneurship. The remainder of the space in the campus will be devoted to corporate co-location space designed to facilitate the interaction between academia and industry, residential uses, an executive education center, and ancillary uses, such as retail in support of the faculty, staff and students on the campus, as well as the creation of new open space.

While planning is underway for the opening of the permanent campus in 2017, Cornell Tech is already operating in temporary space in Manhattan. The campus master plan, designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill with James Corner Field Operations, includes a number of innovative features and facilities across a river-to-river campus with expansive views, a series of green, public spaces, and a seamless integration of indoor and outdoor areas. Cornell Tech will combine cutting edge technologies to create one of the most environmentally friendly and energy-efficient campuses in the world, not only employing, but developing new environmental technology.

A sustainable and innovative academic building will be designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis Architects and, in a significant departure from traditional academic facilities, take its cue from the tech world by offering open-plan space and extensive collaborative workspaces. The phase one academic building, if completed today, would be the largest net-zero energy building in eastern United States, with all of its power generated on campus.

A corporate co-location building, designed by Weiss/Manfredi and developed by Forest City Ratner Companies, will bring together corporate innovators, world-class researchers and energetic start-ups under one roof, a concrete reflection of the campus’ mission of fusing academia and industry to encourage innovation for the public good. Cornell Tech will be an anchor tenant. Renderings of this building and the academic building were released today, and are available at tech.cornell.edu/press/.

Ensuring that the campus is active 24/7, a residential building, designed by Handel Architects and developed by Hudson and Related Companies, will be built to provide convenient and affordable campus housing for students, faculty and staff. It will rely on passive sustainable design features to reduce energy usage and further advance the campus’ sustainability goals.

Plans are also under underway for an Executive Education Center and Hotel, which will help ensure that Cornell Tech is a magnet in New York City for innovation by providing conference, executive program and academic workshop space along with a hotel and destination restaurant.

The 12-acre footprint of the Cornell Tech campus includes the site of the former Goldwater Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility, which has been replaced by the new state-of-the art, 365-bed, $300 million Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital in Harlem, built by NYCEDC, which is operated by the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation and provides world-class medical care for New Yorkers in need of highly specialized, complex treatment. Former Goldwater patients were relocated to the new hospital last month. The campus footprint also includes property formerly controlled by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. Cornell Tech has spent the past year working with the Roosevelt Island community on plans to minimize the impact of construction on residents, including deployment of the largest barging program in New York City to remove demolition materials from the site.

Cornell Tech classes began earlier this year in space donated by Google in Chelsea. The school now includes masters and Ph.D. students, world-class faculty and established collaborations with dozens of industry-leading organizations contributing to graduate study in areas such as Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Information Science, Operations Research and Business. Cornell Tech also launched its commitment to partnership with New York City’s public school students earlier this year, working with numerous organizations to bring tech education to a diverse audience. A director of K-12 education for Cornell Tech will be announced early in 2014.

Beginning in January, the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute at Cornell Tech will welcome a number of postdoctoral students to the current campus. Later in 2014, the Jacobs Institute will launch a master’s degree program in Connective Media designed to educate the entrepreneurial engineers and technologists needed in the media sector to steward the continuing digital transformation of the industry. Students in this two-year program will receive degrees from both Technion and Cornell. Also in 2014, Cornell Tech will launch a Johnson MBA that will combine business, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship in a fast-paced, hands-on learning environment.

Cornell Tech will host entrepreneurs-in-residence, organize business competitions, provide legal support for startups, reach out to existing companies to form research partnerships and sponsor research, and establish a pre-seed financing program to support promising research. In addition, the campus will structure its on-site tech transfer office to facilitate startup formation and technology licensing. Cornell Tech will also invest $150 million that will be solely devoted to start-up businesses in the City.

In keeping with the focus on community involvement contained in the RFP, the Cornell Tech proposal outlined a number of areas in which the universities will touch the lives of New Yorkers -- the type of involvement to which both schools have been committed for many years in their primary campus communities. Plans for community involvement in New York City include the creation of education enhancement programs that will impact a minimum of 10,000 New York City students and 200 New York City teachers per year. Cornell Tech also intends to work closely with PS/IS 217 on Roosevelt Island to enrich their curricula and participate in STEM-oriented programming. They will also work to meet the goals of the City’s HireNYC employment program and develop partnerships for job placement and training. In furtherance of its community outreach goals, Cornell Tech will offer significant programming on and off its campus designed to engage with residents of Roosevelt Island and the larger City. Cornell’s campus plan will further create new public open space on the campus.

Stay tuned for more.

RIOC To Receive $1.4 Million Annual Payment For 55 Years From NY State And Cornell For Roosevelt Island Tech Campus Land, Maybe - RIOC Board Of Directors Meeting Tomorrow For Vote To Approve Or Not

Image of Goldwater Hospital/Future Cornell NYC Tech Campus From Google Maps

Reported December 10:

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Advisory Committee is meeting for the second time in less than a week for an update on the negotiations with Cornell for the land controlled by RIOC which is part of the planned Cornell NYC Tech campus....

... ... All reports are that the RIOC Directors and staff are battling hard to protect the interests of Roosevelt Island in these negotiations with Cornell...

and updated later that evening:

It looks like an agreement has been reached between Cornell and RIOC subject to approval of the RIOC Board at the December 12 Directors Meeting.

Just received this Amended Agenda for Thursday's RIOC Board Of Directors Meeting which includes this addition:

... 7. Authorization to Enter into an Amendment of the Master Lease with the City of New York and to Take Related Actions in Connection with the Cornell Tech Campus Development, Including Making Environmental Findings and Entering Into a Development Agreement and Other Related Agreements (Board Action Required)...

 Credit: Kilograph via Cornell NYC Tech

Yesterday, I sent this inquiry to RIOC President Charlene Indelicato and the RIOC Directors:

I understand that RIOC and Cornell have entered into an Agreement for the land controlled by RIOC that is part of the proposed Cornell NYC Tech Campus on the current site of Goldwater Hospital.

The agreement is subject to approval by the full RIOC Board at the December 12 meeting.

I understand that the proposed agreement between RIOC and Cornell includes annual payments to RIOC of approximately $1.5 million from NY State, NY City and Cornell.

Is the above accurate?

Does RIOC have any statement on this proposed Agreement with Cornell?

Is there a deal term sheet that can be released to the public?...

It is true. RIOC, Cornell and NY State have agreed upon terms for the transfer of the land controlled by RIOC that is part of the planned Cornell NYC Tech campus subject to approval by the RIOC Board of Directors tomorrow (December 12).

The terms of the deal are presented in this December 10, 2013 Memorandum (Memo) from the RIOC Staff to the RIOC Directors. According to the Memo (Page 3):

This Memorandum and the transactions described herein have been facilitated by the Empire State Development staff...

Here are excerpts from the Memo (Page 6-8):

... TERMS OF THE TRANSFER
A summary of terms set forth below have been agreed upon by RIOC, the State, Cornell, the City in exchange for RIOC surrendering the Parcel back to the City. Many of the non‐financial terms reference Cornell’s commitments made in its letters to David Karnovsky dated March 19, 2013 (the “Karnovsky Letter”) a copy which is attached hereto as Attachment C and Jessica S. Lappin dated May 2, 2013 (the “Lappin Letter”), a copy which is attached hereto as Attachment D:

RIOC CONTRIBUTION

• Surrender of the 2.6 acre RIOC site surrounding the City Goldwater Site (the “Parcel”) under the Master Lease to the City to be incorporated with the City Goldwater Site to comprise the 12.4 acre Campus. The City will lease the Project Site to New York City Land Corporation for 99 years which will assign the lease to Cornell.
• RIOC commissioned 2 appraisals for the Surrounding Site which valued such site at $24 million (“Haims Appraisal”) and $90 million (“KTR Appraisal). The Haims Appraisal has been assessed as more credible for several reasons.

STATE CONTRIBUTION

• (i) $1,000,000 annually for 55 years payable to RIOC (escalating 2.5% every 10 years) in accordance with State budgetary procedure, or
  (ii) an equivalent amount to support capital infrastructure improvements on RIOC as determined in accordance with State budgetary procedure.

CORNELL CONTRIBUTION

• $400,000 annually for 55 years payable to RIOC (escalating 2% every 10 years).
  Execution of a Development Agreement with RIOC evidencing this payment plus the following material commitments to be implemented by or on behalf of Cornell at Cornell’s sole cost:
  ‐Mitigation under SEQRA identified in RIOC findings statement and other materials2;
  ‐Mitigation under SHPA;
  ‐Infrastructure Improvements on, around, and under Loop Road (includes roadway work, sewers, relocation of electrical duct banks, and gas service);
  ‐Parking commitment3;
  ‐Red Bus commitment during construction4;
  ‐Barging where feasible5;
  ‐Access to the RIOC premises under permits and License Agreements providing work plans, bonding and insurance, and incorporating construction protocols, all approved by RIOC;
  ‐Construction and truck trips on and off Roosevelt Island may occur between 7 am to 6 pm to coincide with standard NYC Department of Buildings (“DOB”) hours; variances from such will be approved by RIOC in its reasonable discretion;
  ‐Air and Noise Pollution Mitigation;
  ‐Payment for RIOC Engineer and RIOC Consultant to review Work Plans for work to occur on the RIOC Premises and to monitor performance of work by Cornell or its agents pursuant to Work Plans;
  ‐Ensure Safe Pedestrian and Vehicular Access to areas south of the Cornell Site (RIOC’s request for in‐bound access was not agreed to);
  ‐Repair of damage on Roosevelt Island caused by Cornell or its agents;
  ‐General indemnification for work performed by Cornell or its agents;
  ‐Environmental indemnification for environmental liabilities caused by Cornell or its agents; and
  ‐Increased security by Cornell at southern end of Roosevelt
  

CITY CONTRIBUTION Via (NYC Economic Development Corporation (“EDC”)

• Execution of a Side Letter between RIOC and EDC evidencing the following payment and commitments by the EDC:
  ‐$70,000 in payment for one‐time legal fees accrued by RIOC for SEQRA related issues in connection with the transaction.
  ‐NYCEDC, in its role as lease administrator, agrees to meet with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (“RIOC”) on a quarterly basis, beginning on or about February 14, 2014 until completion of the Full Build as defined in the Cornell Lease, in order for RIOC to have the opportunity to brief NYCEDC on Cornell’s compliance (or lack thereof) in connection the commitments set forth in the Lappin Letter in Paragraph A (Construction Practices), Paragraph B (Security), Paragraph C (Parking), Paragraph G (Barging), Paragraph H (Red Bus Service), Exhibit A (Construction Noise Control and Air Quality), the “Construction Measures” portion of Exhibit B, and the “Parking” portion of Exhibit B.
  ‐Pursuant to such briefings, if RIOC disagrees with NYCEDC’s enforcement of a commitment that Cornell has made through the Lappin Letter, RIOC, in its sole discretion, has the right to commence mediation with the Governor’s Office and the Mayor’s Office to reach a resolution, which mediation shall promptly commence within five (5) business days from the receipt of the written request from RIOC.
  ‐If RIOC disagrees with NYCEDC’s enforcement of a commitment in the interim period between quarterly meetings with NYCEDC, RIOC, in its sole discretion, has the right to mediation with the Governor’s Office and the Mayor’s Office, which mediation shall promptly commence within five (5) business days from the receipt of the written request from RIOC.
  

ESD CONTRIBUTION

• ESD is waiving its fees in connection with facilitating the transaction....

Also (Page 4-5)

...In accordance with the Public Authorities Accountability Act, as most recently amended (“PAAA”), two appraisals of the Parcel have been prepared. Jerome Haims Realty, Inc., an independent appraiser, appraised the fair market “as is” value at $24,000,000 as of March 8, 2013. KTR Real Estate Advisors LLC, an independent appraiser, appraised the fair market “as is” value at $90,000,000 as of May 22, 2013. The Haims appraisal has been assessed more credible than the KTR appraisal because the Haims’ appraisal is based on residential development that would have been allowed by zoning prior to the creation of the special zoning district for the Project. Moreover, the Haims appraisal discounted for the irregular shape of the Parcel, whereas the KTR appraisal did not.

A footnote adds (Page 5):

... Both appraisers use a Sales Comp approach, and although they use different comps, both conclude at a value of $125 per SF of developable area (“DA”). They also agree on total lot size at 113,912 SF. Therefore, the vast value difference is based on (1) Haims’ use of a residential zoning FAR, which is more credible given the prevailing development character of the Island and (2) Haims’ finding that the “highly irregular in shape [of the parcel, which] could not be developed to maximize all of its development potential independently”, and therefore, by analogy to TDRs, makes the 50% discount...

One area that may be of concern to RIOC is that the NY State contribution of $1 million over 55 years or equivalent contributions for capital infrastructure improvements appears conditioned upon being:

... in accordance with State budgetary procedure...

What does that mean? Can NY State decline to make payments to RIOC or are such payments guaranteed?  That provision needs to be better understood.

Also, shouldn't NY State be making capital infrastructure improvements on Roosevelt Island as needed whether or not Cornell builds its campus here? Why should Roosevelt Island capital improvement paid for by NY State be included as payment for the land to be used by Cornell NYC Tech?

There's much more in the Memo including issues related to construction, barging, trucking, air quality etc. Click here to read the whole Memo.

The RIOC Board of Directors will be voting on this proposed Agreement tomorrow during their scheduled December 12 meeting to be held at the Manhattan Park Community Center, 8 River Road starting at 5:30.

Should be a very interesting meeting.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE 12/12, 7:50 PM - The RIOC Board of Directors unanimously approved the Cornell NYC Tech project about an hour ago.

However, that approval was made contingent upon NY State signing a memorandum agreeing that the net present value of NY State's 55 annual $1 million payments to RIOC, as outlined in the December 10 Deal Sheet Memo, will instead by fully paid by December 31, 2018. The Memorandum is anticipated to be signed within the next few days.

More to follow.

UPDATE 12/18 -The funding memorandum was signed by both NY State (ESDC) and RIOC on December 16. More here.

Cornell NYC Tech Announces Forest City Ratner As Corporate Co-Location Building and Master Plan Developer For New Roosevelt Island Campus But Financial And Other Terms Not Yet Finalized - Agreement Must Still Be Reached With Roosevelt Island Operating Corp On Land Conveyance, Barging And Other Issues

Image From Cornell NYC Tech (credit Kilograph)

Received the following Press Release from Cornell NYC Tech this morning:

Cornell NYC Tech today announced a major advancement in its effort to bring industry and academia together on its Roosevelt Island campus with plans to develop its first “corporate co-location” building. This building will house a mix of companies at the heart of the campus, facilitating the interaction between academia and industry that is central to Cornell Tech’s mission. On Thursday, Cornell University’s Board of Trustees approved the plan to move forward with Forest City Ratner Companies as the developer of this building, subject to finalizing plans and terms. Forest City Ratner would also act as master developer, overseeing development of the first academic building, the open space and related infrastructure for the first phase of the campus.

“This level of private sector investment in the campus, and, upon completion of our finalizing the details, the participation of a great partner in Forest City Ratner, validates the campus’ enormous economic development potential for New York and ensures that we will have a vibrant mix of activities when the campus opens in 2017,” said Cathy Dove, Vice President of Cornell Tech. “We expect that leading-edge companies large and small will be drawn to the innovation and energy of Cornell Tech, helping to accelerate the already rapid growth of New York’s tech sector.”

“Cornell Tech is radically re-thinking how industry can collaborate with faculty, students and researchers, and corporate co-location is vital to making that a success,” said Cornell Tech Dean Dan Huttenlocher. “It was so exciting to launch our academic program this year and it’s equally exciting to see the physical campus coming together in a way that will advance our mission moving forward.”

"Forest City Ratner is thrilled to partner with Cornell Tech on the creation of a world class innovative campus that will drive the growth of New York's tech sector and economic development in the city for years to come," said Forest City Ratner Companies President and CEO MaryAnne Gilmartin. "From Metro Tech to Times Square to Barclays Center and Atlantic Yards, Forest City Ratner has always bet on the growth of our great city and we couldn't be more excited to play a part in this next exciting chapter. With the corporate co-location building Cornell Tech is charting new territory, and we look forward to exceeding expectations with an iconic architectural design by WEISS/MANFREDI.”

The award-winning architecture, landscape and urbanism firm, WEISS / MANFREDI will be the architect of the co-location building, which together with Cornell Tech's flagship academic building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis, will launch the Cornell Tech campus.

“We're excited to partner with Forest City Ratner Companies and Cornell to create a new architectural paradigm that fosters innovation and collaboration,” said Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi.

Cornell Tech offers a distinctive model of graduate tech education that fuses scientific excellence with real-world applications and entrepreneurship, rooted in the latest academic research. Students, faculty and industry experts learn and work together to develop ideas and create new ventures that have globalimpact.

The corporate co-location building will include up to 200,000 square feet of flexible office space, with a diverse mix of tenants including both start-ups and established companies. There will be a balance of incubator space, research and development labs, corporate innovation centers for bigger companies and rotating space for regional companies to spend time in New York City. The building will include flexible, open floor plans with common spaces to facilitate meetings and serendipitous, informal interactions between students and companies. Cornell Tech will also lease 50,000 square feet in the building, further cementing the connection between academics and industry on campus.

This is another major milestone for the campus. Cornell Tech’s “beta” class of computer science masters students completed its first semester in May in space donated by Google in Chelsea. Cornell Tech is rapidly rolling out new academic programs, recruiting star faculty, developing a distinctive new model of tech entrepreneurship, and designing its permanent campus on Roosevelt Island, which will break ground early next year. In April, Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs, Founding Chairman and CEO Emeritus of Qualcomm, and his wife Joan Klein Jacobs, donated a $133-million gift to Cornell University and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology to create the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute (JTCII). The JTCII is a key component of Cornell Tech. The funds will help support curriculum initiatives, faculty and graduate students, and industry interactions in a two-year graduate program.

The City's Applied Sciences NYC initiative was designed to capitalize on the considerable growth presently occurring within the science, technology and research fields in New York, and builds on the Bloomberg Administration’s dedication to creating a more diversified and competitive economy for the future. In December 2011, the Cornell and Technion partnership was selected by the City as the first winner of the Applied Sciences competition. When completed, the Roosevelt Island campus will house approximately 2,000 full-time graduate students.

In response to my inquiry about the agreement between Cornell NYC Tech and Forest City Ratner (FCRC), a Cornell NYC Tech Press Spokesperson added:

Financial terms are being finalized ...

FCRC would own the corporate co-location building and be responsible for leasing the space, with Cornell committing to be an anchor tenant essentially.

On the rest of the first phase FCRC would have a fee developer relationship, overseeing development of the first academic building, open space and infrastructure.

What is not widely known about the Cornell NYC Tech project is that it is not yet a done deal. Although NYC has approved the Cornell NYC Tech ULURP application, Cornell NYC Tech must still reach an agreement with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC).  As previously reported:

... Many issues still need to be resolved before Cornell NYC Tech can take possession, begin demolition of the existing Goldwater Hospital and start construction of the new applied sciences and engineering school. Among the issues still to be negotiated with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) are an agreement with RIOC for land controlled by RIOC that is part of the proposed Cornell campus, the use of barging and temporary concrete plant during the construction process, air and noise pollution monitoring and much more....

Below is an aerial view of the existing Goldwater Hospital campus that is scheduled to be demolished in early 2014 to make way for the Cornell NYC Tech campus. NYC controls the land that is beneath the hospital buildings and extending a perimeter of 5 feet from the buildings. RIOC controls all the other land on the Goldwater campus site between the roads on the outside of the campus (East and West Channel Roads).

Image From Google Maps

Click here for a satellite view of the area.

NYC is giving away for free the land they control to Cornell NYC. RIOC, whose Board of Directors have fiduciary obligations to maintain the financial stability of Roosevelt Island, hopes to receive fair compensation for the land they control which Cornell NYC Tech desires to be part of their campus.

Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin and Cornell NYC Tech VP Cathy Dove addressed this issue during May 8 press conference announcing Cornell's ULURP Application approval. Here's what they had to say.



RIOC has a new President, Charlene Indelicato, who has the backing of NY State Governor Cuomo. She is reportedly a tough, resourceful, experienced and competent real estate negotiator. We will soon know if Ms. Indelicato and the RIOC Board are able to protect the interests of Roosevelt Island as they negotiate with Cornell NYC Tech.

Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech Approval Announced Today By City Council Member Jessica Lappin With Cornell Reps and Roosevelt Island Residents - Next Step For Cornell To Conclude Ongoing Negotiations For Land With RIOC

Today, the NYC Council announced approval of the Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech ULURP application. As previously reported:

... The Cornell NYC Tech ULURP application will now proceed to the full NYC Council and Mayor Bloomberg for expected approval.  However, even after final approval from NYC, Cornell NYC Tech still  needs to negotiate and come to an agreement with the Roosevelt Island  Operating Corp (RIOC) for the approximately 3 acres of land controlled  by RIOC within the planned Cornell NYC Tech campus on the site of the  current Goldwater Hospital....

Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin tweeted:

Hi-tech coming to #NYC ! @nyccouncil approves Cornell Tech on #RooseveltIsland cc @cbsnewyork cbsloc.al/10GNIcj
— Jessica Lappin (@JessLappin) May 8, 2013

This morning, Ms Lappin, NYC Council Speaker and Mayoral Candidate Christine Quinn, Cornell NYC Tech Vice President Cathy Dove, Cornell Dean Dan Huttenlocher, Roosevelt Island Community Coalition (RICC) Co-Chairs Ellen Polivy and Jonathan Kalkin as well as Roosevelt Island resident and Community Board 8 Member Larry Parnes appeared at a Press Conference to announce the vote to approve Cornell NYC Tech coming to Roosevelt Island and to congratulate each other on working together to bring the project to this stage of the process.

Here's what happened beginning with Ms. Lappin



followed by questions about barging construction materials, ferry service, ongoing negotiations with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) for land controlled by RIOC, financial contributions to Roosevelt Island by NYC and more.



Click here for the Letter Agreement detailing the commitments made by Cornell NYC Tech to City Council Member Jessica Lappin, the entire City Council and the Roosevelt Island Community which are included as part of the lease agreement between the NYC and Cornell for the Goldwater Hospital site.  In addition to the commitments included in the lease agreement, NYC Deputy Mayor’s Robert Steel sent this letter dated May 2 2012 to Ms. Lappin regarding NYC contributing operating funds for a  pilot Roosevelt Island ferry service and NYPD monitoring security concerns for the new campus.

Here's the Press Release from Ms. Lappin's office:

Today, City Council Member Jessica Lappin, Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Cornell NYC Tech Vice President Cathy Dove, Cornell NYC Tech Dean Dan Huttenlocher, and Roosevelt Island community members announced that the City Council will vote to approve the Cornell NYC Tech campus on Roosevelt Island.

“Cornell NYC Tech is about the future of New York—it will drive innovation and economic growth for generations to come. When this idea was first proposed, I formed a community coalition to champion building the campus in Manhattan, and specifically Roosevelt Island. The new school will be a tremendous boon, not only for my City Council district, but for the entire Big Apple,” said Council Member Jessica Lappin, whose district includes Roosevelt Island.

Today’s City Council vote is the final step in the city’s land use review process for Cornell NYC Tech, two million-square-foot applied sciences and engineering campus that will be located at the Goldwater Hospital site on Roosevelt Island in Manhattan. The project is expected to have a $33 billion economic impact, creating 48,000 new jobs and 1,000 spin-off companies over the next three decades.[1]

Council Member Jessica Lappin negotiated to secure many commitments from the Administration and Cornell NYC Tech. The city has pledged to contribute funding to a one-year summer ferry service pilot program and has designated an NYPD liaison to ensure continued safety and security on Roosevelt Island. The university has committed to:

· Undertake the most aggressive voluntary use of barging in New York City, which will reduce the number of construction vehicles on Roosevelt Island by more than half, as compared to traditional building techniques.

· Partner with New York City middle schools to create Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics (STEM) programs, with a special focus on girls. Initial pilot programs will begin at P.S./I.S. 217 on Roosevelt Island, M.S. 406 in East Harlem, and I.S. 204 and P.S. 111 in Long Island City, Queens. Starting this summer, Cornell NYC Tech will sponsor an immersion program for girls in these schools to learn coding, web design, robotics and mobile development under the mentorship of some of the industry’s top engineers and entrepreneurs.

· "Adopt" the local school on Roosevelt Island, PS/IS 217, by providing programming such as teacher training and support, after school programming, tech events, career day options, and hardware and software programming development.

· Conduct air monitoring throughout the project, including demolition, excavation and construction. The results of this monitoring will be posted on the construction website.

· Engage extensively with the Roosevelt Island community by creating a construction task force with residents and others; researching ways that technology can enhance the lives of the disabled and the older adults on the Island; providing computers and training to senior center members and the disabled community; providing a tech fair to advance technology education for the disabled; working with the community to program outdoor space for children.

Speaker Christine C. Quinn said “Cornell NYC Tech is a win for the City of New York, Roosevelt Island community and our local economy. This campus will help New York City continue to attract more of the brightest minds, which in turn, will attract more of the best businesses. The City Council is proud to approve the final steps necessary for construction to commence, and we look forward to the completion of this new state-of-the-art campus.”

Cathy Dove, Vice President, Cornell NYC Tech said “We are extremely grateful for the leadership of Council Member Lappin and Speaker Quinn, for the support of the City Council, and for Mayor Bloomberg's vision. We worked throughout the public review process to incorporate input from the community into our approach– that input has resulted in a stronger campus plan. We are confident the result is a Cornell Tech campus we can all be proud of and that will benefit both the Roosevelt Island community and the entire city. We look forward to breaking ground next year and continuing to work closely with the community as our campus develops.”

Ellen Polivy, Co-Chair of the Roosevelt Island Community Coalition (RICC) said “Council Member Lappin did an amazing job fighting for us. Cornell NYC Tech’s “adoption” of our local school was much appreciated by everybody. I want to thank Cornell for all their work to plan for the future, and we look forward to a successful partnership going forward.”

Jonathan Kalkin, Co-Chair of Roosevelt Island Community Coalition (RICC) said “It’s been exciting to work with Council Member Lappin and Cornell. Cornell NYC Tech will be a game changer for Roosevelt Island and for New York City. We can’t wait to see what innovations will come from the school, and we look forward to greeting our new neighbors.”

Mayor Bloomberg Announces $133 Million Gift To Roosevelt Island Cornell Technion NYC Tech From Qualcomm's Jacobs Family Today - What Will Roosevelt Island Get At April 30 NYC Council Public Hearing Besides Truck Traffic And Construction Headaches?

Here's the latest news on the Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech project. NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin, who represents Roosevelt Island, reports in her April Community Bulletin:

... Community Board 8 and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer have already approved the Cornell-Technion project’s rezoning application. Now, it must be approved by the City Council.

The City Council Zoning Committee will hold a public hearing on the Cornell-Technion project on April 30th at 9:30 a.m. at 250 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10007. This campus will be a game-changer for Roosevelt Island and New York City. However, I have serious concerns about the impact of truck traffic on the Island during construction. At the hearing I will push the university to use barging for significant percentage of its materials to minimize the disruption to residents....

More on the NYC Planning Commission, Manhattan Borough President and CB 8 Cornell NYC Tech approvals and concerns from previous post.

Earlier today, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a $133 million gift to the Technion component of Cornell NYC Tech.



According to Cornell NYC Tech press release:

Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs, Founding Chairman and CEO Emeritus of Qualcomm, and his wife Joan Klein Jacobs, today announced a $133-million gift to Cornell University and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology to create the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute (JTCII). The JTCII is a key component of Cornell Tech, whose permanent campus will be located on Roosevelt Island. The funds will help support curriculum initiatives, faculty and graduate students, and industry interactions in a two-year graduate program. The gift was announced at City Hall with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Cornell President David J. Skorton and Technion President Peretz Lavie.

The Jacobses are both Cornell alumni who have a long history of supporting both Cornell and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. They have established the Irwin M. and Joan K. Jacobs Scholars and Fellows Programs and the Irwin and Joan Jacobs Professorship, both in the College of Engineering, as well as the Joan Klein Jacobs Cornell Tradition Fellowship in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell. Dr. Jacobs is a former member of the Cornell University Council and Mrs. Jacobs served on the President’s Council of Cornell Women. In recognition of their distinguished service to Cornell, Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs were both elected Presidential Councillors in 2005. The Jacobses’ visionary support of the Technion includes the Irwin and Joan Jacobs Graduate School and the Irwin and Joan Jacobs Center for Communications and Information Technologies. A member of the Technion International Board of Governors, Dr. Jacobs is a Life Trustee of the American Technion Society (ATS) National Board of Regents, and a member of the ATS San Diego Chapter. Dr. Jacobs, along with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, serves as an advisor to Cornell Tech.

Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs are among the world’s most generous philanthropists. Their support has had a significant impact on numerous cultural, medical, educational, and civic organizations. The engineering school at the University of California, San Diego bears Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs’ names, as do the performing arts center of the campus La Jolla Playhouse and the new UCSD Medical Center.

“We are delighted to partner with Cornell and the Technion on this unique educational initiative,” said Joan and Irwin Jacobs. “We believe strongly in the mission of this international collaboration to drive innovation and to foster economic development. We are proud of our long association with both of these distinguished institutions and share their dedication to inspire and train a next generation of entrepreneurs, forming new companies and strengthening existing ones including, of course, Qualcomm.”

“Cornell Tech will bring a sharp increase in science and engineering teaching, attract students from around the world, and spin off new local companies and thousands of new jobs, and inject billions of dollars into our economy,” said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “Irwin and Joan Jacobs have helped pave the way for innovations that improve our world, and the endowment they’re creating at Cornell Tech will do the same. We’re grateful for their investment in the future of New York City.”

“This transformative gift will support the distinctive international partnership between Cornell and the Technion that is already creating a new model of graduate tech education in New York City,” said Cornell President David J. Skorton. “We are overwhelmed by the continuing generosity of Joan and Irwin Jacobs, whose commitment to Cornell and to innovation in engineering and related disciplines is deeply appreciated.”

“Joan and Irwin’s magnificent gift will play a major and decisive role in fulfilling Mayor Bloomberg’s vision of creating a leading global center of innovation in the heart of New York, enabling the city to become the technology capital of the world,” said Technion President Peretz Lavie. “The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute will also serve as a bridge between Israel and the USA and Haifa and New York. We are also very grateful to theAmerican Technion Society for their continued support and help in securing this gift.”

Craig Gotsman, the Founding Director of JTCII and the Technion’s Hewlett-Packard Professor of Computer Engineering, said, “I am proud to lead this endeavor that will help bring a global startup culture to New York and encourage the entrepreneurial efforts of our faculty and students. Together with our partners at Cornell Tech, we look forward to nurturing the next generation of applied technology leaders who will meet the needs of New York’s economy.”

“Today marks another important step forward for an initiative that we believe will transform ourCity for generations to come,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky. “Applied Sciences NYC is a key piece of our larger innovation strategy that includes ongoing efforts to foster research and training at all levels of education. I would like to thank Dr. and Mrs.Jacobs for their generosity, as well as Presidents Skorton and Lavie, for their partnership and collaboration. ”

The JTCII plans to offer a two-year interdisciplinary program where students earn dual master degrees concurrently — one from Cornell and one from the Technion. This degree program will allow students to specialize in applied information-based sciences in one of three hubs focused around leading New York City industries – Connective Media, Healthier Living and The Built Environment–while honing their entrepreneurial skills. The first area of specialization will be in Connective Media and is slated to begin in the fall of 2014. Research will also be focused on the hub areas.

A novel program for Postdoctoral Innovation Fellows will launch in Fall 2013. The aim is to support individuals who seek to commercialize their research ideas in the stimulating environment at the JTCII while taking full advantage of the entrepreneurial network of Cornell Tech and the proximity to New York City-based markets.

Cornell Tech offers a distinctive model of graduate tech education that fuses scientific excellence with real-world applications and entrepreneurship, rooted in the latest academic research. Students, faculty and industry experts learn and work together to develop ideas and create new ventures that have global impact. The campus is attracting the best and brightest in technology, immersing them in an entrepreneurial culture with deep ties to the local business community, aiming to spawn new companies and tech ventures in New York City.

This gift marks another major milestone for the campus. Cornell Tech launched its first degree program in January – a Cornell University Master of Engineering in Computer Science and is rapidly rolling out new academic programs, recruiting star faculty, developing a distinctive new model of tech entrepreneurship, and designing its permanent campus on Roosevelt Island, which will break groundearly next year.

The City's Applied Sciences NYC initiative was designed to capitalize on the considerable growth presently occurring within the science, technology and research fields in New York, and builds on the Bloomberg Administration’s dedication to creating a more diversified and competitive economy for the future. In December 2011, the Cornell and Technion partnership was selected by the City as the first winner of the Applied Sciences competition. When completed, the Roosevelt Island campus will house approximately 2,000 full-time graduate students.

The NY Times has more on the Cornell Technion curriculum:

... Information technology is the common thread through the eight degrees the school plans to offer. Three will be dual master’s degrees from Cornell and the Technion, based on three “hubs” rather than traditional departments. One hub program, “connective media,” has largely been mapped out — though professors warn that it is subject to change as technology changes — and will deal with designing the mobile, fragmented and endlessly malleable technology that makes everyone a media creator as well as consumer. The other hubs, still under development, are being called “healthier life” (systems to improve health care delivery as well as personal technology) and “built environment” (computing applied to the physical world around us, from robotic devices to smart building design to real-time traffic information)....

Click here for the entire NY Times article and more from Cornell President David Skorton on the new Roosevelt Island school.

Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech Receives Conditional Approval By Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer Today - Recommendations Include Construction Mitigation, Open Campus, Red Bus Expansion And Study Pedestrian Access To Queensboro Bridge

Just received the following Press Release from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer's office:

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today issued conditional approval for the proposed Cornell NYC Tech campus on Roosevelt Island by Cornell University and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. In developing his Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) recommendation, Stringer secured commitments to pursue several modifications to the project, which include construction mitigation, the creation of a community advisory committee on open space, expanding the hours of the campus open space, expansion of the red bus line, and commitment to study co-generation and pedestrian access to the Queens Borough Bridge.

“I am proud today to announce my recommendation for conditional approval of the Cornell NYC Tech, which will help integrate this important economic development project with the local community,” Borough President Stringer said. “I believe the modifications agreed to today will bring this proposal further in line with sound planning and community preferences.”

"Borough President Stringer has been a true leader in supporting and guiding the growth of New York's tech sector and we're extremely grateful for his support of Cornell Tech," said Cornell President David J. Skorton. "Cornell Tech will help drive economic development in New York for years to come, but we know the campus will only be a success if we are good neighbors. We are grateful for the Borough President's support, and are committed to addressing the matters he raised as part of our ongoing effort to ensure that this campus respects and partners with the Roosevelt Island community”

In his comments, Borough President Stringer cited the need to focus on expanding and strengthening the technology sector. New York City has become one of the nation’s fastest growing technology markets and universities play a key role in advancing research and development in those fields. He further acknowledged that the Cornell University has already committed to working with local middle schools to create a new pilot program tech education program, which was a key recommendation in the Borough President’s recently-issued Start-up City report.

Among Borough President Stringer's recommendations are:

• Mitigate construction by actively pursuing barging, and agreeing that if it is not feasible, protocols will be developed to limit noisy deliveries; to have independent monitoring and air quality monitoring through demolition and excavation; and pursue a construction remediation plan for potential soil contaminants;
• Increase Red Bus service on the island through construction, develop programs to encourage its employees to use mass transit; and study pedestrian access improvements to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge;
• Ensure the proposed open space on the campus remains open until 10 PM, cannot have private café seating, and its design will be informed by a new community advisory committee;
• Continue to work on potential parking impacts, conduct a study of potential parking impacts from the hotel and corporate co-location building, create a new certification process to evaluate parking impacts if no parking is created,
• Commit that all new laboratories will comply with all performance standards outlined in the zoning resolution for M1 zoning districts to minimize impact on surrounding residents.

and:

“The proposed project will have significant benefits to New York City as it will expand our ever-growing tech sector,” said Borough President Stringer. "I am pleased that Cornell University has been willing to work with our office and the local community."

In December, Community Board 8 voted to conditionally approve the proposed actions based on similar issues of concern. The project will continue to move through the City's Uniform Land Use Review Procedure; the next step will be a review by the City Planning Commission and then final review by the City Council.

Click here for Borough President Stringer's full recommendations on the Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech project.

The Roosevelt Island Community Coalition (RICC) provided this update on the status of negotiations between Cornell and Roosevelt Island community residents during January 21 meeting



followed by questions and answers.



Part 2 of Q and A. (a few moments between part 1 and 2 of Q and A are missing.



The Cornell NYC Tech project was conditionally approved last December 19 by Community Board 8 prior to Borough President Stringer's approval today. Next step in ULURP process is

Image From Manhattan Borough President's Office Presentation (Page 19)

review by the NYC Planning Commission.

Cornell NYC Tech Presents Update On Use Of Barges, Zoning, Open Space And Other Issues To Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Cornell/Technion Task Force - Here's Video Of What Happened

 Image Of Barge Transporting Trucks To Governors Island From Corning Museum Of Glass

The Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Cornell Technion Task Force met last night. Here's video of what happened.

It began with a presentation by Cornell NYC Tech Director of Capital Projects and Planning Andrew Winters discussing the use of barges in the demolition of Goldwater Hospital and construction of Cornell campus. Here's what he had to say



followed by comments and questions from community members here



and here.



Will have more on the individual issues raised at last night's meeting in the coming days.

According to Roosevelt Island Community Coalition (RICC) Co-Chair (also President of Roosevelt Island Residents Association and Community Board 8 Member) Ellen Polivy:

Regarding the CB8 Cornell-Technion hearing. It was a great meeting. Great job each and every member of our community who participated. Thanks all of you for speaking and sending in your comments. Tonight we demonstrated the awesome power of a coordinated community. We were organized, focused and strong, a force to be taken seriously. The Roosevelt Island Community Coalition welcomes all community groups. Any group that wants to become a coalition member can send an email to ricommunitycoalition@gmail.com.

RICC Board Member Christine Delfico adds:

... information about how the public can comment follows but technically the deadline is "no later than 10 days after the Formal Hearing is held" by the lead agency and "no less than 30 days after a Notice of Completion has been issued". Therefore, sooner these are filed, the better.  Ellen Polivy is also fine to cc so RICC has a copy elpolivy@gmail.com and copying RICC at ricommunitycoalition@gmail.com

Jeff Escobar spoke with the Deputy Mayor's Office this morning, there are three ways to submit comments to the Draft EIS:

1. Via Mail to: Mayor's Office of Environmental Coordination, 100 Gold Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York  10038

2. Via Email to: rkulikowski@cityhall.nyc.gov

3. Via the Webform at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mailoec.html.
In any correspondence, reference should be made to "Comments to Cornell NYC Tech DEIS."

If people wish to submit their comments electronically, they should do so via the email above and copy ricommunitycoalition@gmail.com.

The comments/issues raised re the DEIS will help shape what recommendations or requirements will be tagged on to the Task Force's resolution.

IMPORTANT CB8 MEETING:

Community members can and should attend the Dec 4th hearing - good for CB8 to see public scrutiny/present so that they do not rush into judgment.

Tuesday, December 4th
CB8 Meeting
6:30 PM
Manhattan Park Theater Club
Public can listen but not participate and this meeting is important because CB8 talks through their decisions.

Also, if you submit comments regarding the Cornell NYC Tech project, please send a copy to Roosevelt Islander so it can be shared publicly with the community.

More information on Cornell NYC Tech project at this previous post.

VERY IMPORTANT MEETING TONIGHT - Land Use Education Forum In Preparation For Cornell NYC Tech Campus On Roosevelt Island Held By Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer

A reminder - according to Borough President Scott Stringer's office:

The purpose of the meeting is to provide an opportunity for Roosevelt Island and Community Board 8 community members to learn about the ULURP process and discuss best practices in community organizing around large-scale development projects. Residents will also have an opportunity to discuss questions and concerns about the Cornell project in particular.

The meeting will take place next Thursday, October 4th from 6:00-8:00pm at the Manhattan Park Theatre Club.

More here.

UPDATE 4 PM - During October 3 Roosevelt Island Residents Association Common Council meeting, Cornell NYC Tech Vice President provided an update, including important upcoming dates, on the project. Here's what happened.



UPDATE 10/5 - Will have more on the Land Use Forum in the next few days including video of the excellent presentation by Manhattan Borough President's Director of Land Use and Planning Brian Cook. In the meantime here's are slides from the Mr. Cook's presentation giving an overview of the NYC zoning and time line for ULURP process.

Land Use Education Forum In Preparation For Cornell NYC Tech Campus On Roosevelt Island Held By Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer Thursday October 4 - Also Take A Look Inside Cornell NYC Tech

According to Borough President Scott Stringer's office:

The purpose of the meeting is to provide an opportunity for Roosevelt Island and Community Board 8 community members to learn about the ULURP process and discuss best practices in community organizing around large-scale development projects. Residents will also have an opportunity to discuss questions and concerns about the Cornell project in particular.

The meeting will take place next Thursday, October 4th from 6:00-8:00pm at the Manhattan Park Theatre Club.

Here's an inside look at Cornell NYC Tech from Vice President/Roosevelt Island resident Cathy Dove and Dean Dan Huttenlocker. Not much is said about their plans for the Roosevelt Island campus though plenty of views from their temporary Google space, The High Line and Chelsea neighborhood. (Also, here's a video describing the Cornell NYC Tech admission process).

You Tube Video of Inside NYC Tech

As reported in previous post from May 22:

... according to this summary of the project from the Draft Scope of Work to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the CornellNYC Tech Project (Page 1-2):

... The first phase of the CornellNYC Tech project, which Cornell University (Cornell)  would undertake in collaboration with Technion – Israel  Institute of Technology, is expected to be constructed and begin operations on Roosevelt Island in Summer 2017; 2018 will be the first full year of operation.

Phase 1 would consist of up to a maximum of 790,000 gross square feet (gsf) of development consisting of approximately 200,000 gsf of academic research space, 300,000 gsf of residential space (442 units), 100,000 gsf of partner research and development space, and 170,000 gsf for an academic-oriented hotel with conference facilities. Up to another 20,000 gsf  would be developed as a central energy plant. Phase 2, expected to be completed by 2037, would add a maximum of 1.34 million gsf consisting  of approximately 420,000 gsf of academic research space, 500,000 gsf of residential space (652 units), 400,000 gsf of partner research and development (R&D) space, and another 20,000 gsf central energy plant. In total, the maximum potential CornellNYC Tech project program is assumed to comprise 2.13 million gsf of development consisting of 620,000 gsf of academic research space, 800,000 gsf of residential space (1,094 units), 500,000 gsf of partner R&D space, 170,000 gsf of an academic-oriented hotel with conference facilities, and 40,000  gsf for the central energy plants. Up to approximately 25,000 gsf of campus-oriented retail would be provided within this program....

and (Page 4):

... parking may be provided for the academic-oriented hotel and conference facilities and for the three partner research and development buildings. It is anticipated that approximately 500 spaces would be provided at the project site, with 250 spaces in Phase 1 and another 250 spaces provided in Phase 2....

and (page 5-6):

... The proposed project would be centered on a new outdoor north-south connection or “spine” that would extend at-grade through the project site. A series of publicly-accessible open spaces would extend from the edge of the site inward to this spine. The proposed buildings would be organized around both the spine and the network of open spaces with the main entries to the buildings located along the north-south spine....

More here and here including video presentation from Cornell representatives.

Community Board 8 Cornell Technion Roosevelt Island Task Force Public Meeting Tonight - Why Does NYC Refuse To Allow Stanford University To Publicly Release Details Of Its Withdrawn Proposal For Roosevelt Island NYC Applied Sciences & Engineering School?

Later today, Community Board 8's (CB 8) Cornell/Roosevelt Island Task Force will receive an:

Update by Cornell University on the Cornell Technion project on Roosevelt Island

Image From CB8

Newsweek's The Daily Beast published an article yesterday on the Cornell NYC Tech Applied Sciences & Engineering School scheduled to open on Roosevelt Island in 2017. It's an excellent article though a bit harsh in its description of Roosevelt Island. According to The Daily Beast:

In a sliver of land in New York City’s East River, where a lunatic asylum and smallpox hospital once stood, banners proclaim with unabashed assurance (or chutzpah): “Roosevelt Island: A Fresh Look at the Big Apple.”

The bleak cityscape on the lower half of the island, accessible by cable car and occupied by a hospital for convalescents with battered bricks and rusting air conditioners, will soon be home to a complex of buildings intended to transform the island from an image of urban decay to a bold statement about 21st-century urban design—and transform New York City into an enduring 21st-century economic powerhouse.

In an unprecedented cooperative venture between City Hall, Cornell University, and the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, ground is about to be broken for a top-flight technology campus that Mayor Michael Bloomberg promises will give other hubs of entrepreneurial science around the country, and indeed the world, “a run for their money.”...

The Daily Beast article also describes the competition between Stanford, which had been the presumed favorite to be awarded the right to build the NYC Tech Campus, and Cornell the eventual winner after Stanford dropped out of the competition in December 2011. From the Daily Beast:

... “It took Stanford aback, the way we were treated,” says the university’s communications director, Lisa Lapin. “We got a sense that it was more of an antagonistic relationship than a welcoming one.” Lapin forwarded to Newsweek a blistering statement from Stanford general counsel Debra Zumwalt saying many of the positions taken by the city “were not in good faith.” “In my decades of doing negotiations with both private parties and government agencies, I have never seen anything like it,” said Zumwalt. “It was clear from our negotiations ... that the city would not be working as a partner with Stanford and indeed would be making it more difficult and expensive than necessary to get this project done successfully,” said Zumwalt.

There were specific issues about hefty penalties that Stanford was expected to pay even if the city was responsible for delays or other difficulties. “Stanford wanted to work with New York City to implement the mayor’s bold vision for a transformative technology campus. We reluctantly came to the conclusion that the city could not deliver on that promise and decided to withdraw.”

Out in Palo Alto, Calif., some people feel Stanford was set up for a fall right from the beginning, suckered into giving the project the prestige of the Stanford name. City Hall maintains it was just driving a hard bargain, getting all the contenders to put as much as possible into the project, with as many protections as possible for the New York City taxpayer....

 Click here for the entire Daily Beast article.

I have been asking Stanford to publicly release its Roosevelt Island NYC Tech proposal ever since Cornell won the competition in order to compare the two proposals. Stanford has always indicated that it wanted to release its proposal but could not because NYC refused to allow it do so. Yesterday, I again asked if Stanford would release its NYC Tech Proposal. A Stanford representative responded:

NYC's last piece was supposedly the Columbia deal, so we should be able to release our proposal now. I've inquired.  The city has not been eager for us to share it, as that would reveal their missed opportunity.

The Columbia deal referred to was announcement yesterday by Mayor Bloomberg that NYC will provide $15 million to create an Institute For Date Sciences and Engineering at Columbia University.

According to the NY Times:

Columbia University will receive $15 million in financial help from New York City to significantly expand its engineering school, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced on Monday.

The money — a consolation prize of sorts — is related to a competition in which Cornell University and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology were awarded $100 million from the city to build a new graduate school on Roosevelt Island....

Here's May 24th 2012 statement from Stanford General Counsel Debra Zumwalt regarding New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYEDC) negotiating process with Stanford and NYC's refusal to allow Stanford to publicly release details of its proposal.

NYCEDC still refuses to let Stanford provide the details of its proposal, claiming that it is remains confidential even though NYCEDC gave Cornell the award for Roosevelt Island after Stanford withdrew its proposal for a campus there over five months ago and the City released the details of Cornell's proposal then. Clearly, there is no longer any confidential competition for this project. In addition, there have been misstatements in the press about the process attributed to the City.

There are many examples of unreasonable conduct by NYCEDC during the negotiations, such as adding many millions of dollars in penalties that were not in the original proposal. The City has denied this, but it is true. We did not think it would be fair to penalize Stanford for failure to obtain approvals on a certain schedule if the delays were the fault of the City and not Stanford.

The changes in the important deal terms from what was proposed in the RFP, changes during the negotiations to make the provisions more negative for Stanford than what had previously been proposed and agreed to by the City, and the unreasonableness of a number of the positions taken by NYCEDC were not in good faith. In my decades of doing negotiations with both private parties and government agencies, I have never seen anything like it. The City on many occasions referred to this project as a partnership between the City and the selected university. It was clear from our negotiations that NYCEDC, which was the City agency that would be responsible not only for negotiating this project but for overseeing it, that the City would not be working as a partner with Stanford and indeed would be making it more difficult and expensive than necessary to get this project done successfully. Stanford wanted to work with New York City to implement the Mayor's bold vision for a transformative technology campus. We reluctantly came to the conclusion that the City could not deliver on that promise and decided to withdraw.

A Stanford representative adds that as of earlier this month, NYC still refused  to allow Stanford to release details of its proposal to the public.

Lost in all the excitement over the new Roosevelt Island Hi Tech school is where will the current patients at the soon to be demolished Goldwater Hospital be moved to make way for Cornell. Some will be moved to a new facility being built in East Harlem but that is not going over well with some in that community. According to the NY Daily News:

East Harlem community leaders are furious that Mayor Bloomberg is rushing to spend more than $300 million to develop three parcels of public land in their neighborhood — all part of what they say is a huge hidden subsidy to Cornell University’s new tech campus to be built on Roosevelt Island...

and:

... To meet that deadline — and a possible ground-breaking for the new campus before Bloomberg leaves office — city officials are racing to erect several facilities in East Harlem that will house as many as 700 Coler-Goldwater patients.

They never bothered to ask locals what they wanted done with that land, according Community Board 11, which voted unanimously in mid June to oppose them....

“We’re not against the Cornell school,” said Matthew Washington, chairman of Community Board 11.

“We just believe there has to be more support from the city for our own residents” and a “recognition of the burden” the neighborhood will bear for these projects.”...

Click here for the entire NY Daily News article.