NYU-Poly Opens New Space in MetroTech Center

NYU-Poly President Jerry M. Hultin and NYU President John Sexton today officiated at a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of a new space for NYU-Poly in MetroTech Center.  Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel, New York State Senator Daniel Squadron, New York State Assemblymember Joan Millman, New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer, New York City Councilmember Stephen Levin, Forest City Ratner CEO and Chair Bruce Ratner, National Grid for New York President Kenneth Daly, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership President Tucker Reed, and DUMBO BID Executive Director Alexandria Sica were among those joining in the celebration of the important new expansion in Brooklyn.  

The 120,000 sq ft of newly leased space in 2 MetroTech Center and 15 MetroTech Center is part of both NYU’s NYU 2031: NYU in NYC city-wide plan for academic space development and NYU-Poly’s capital plan, called the i2e (invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship) Campus Transformation, which is focused on attracting top-level faculty and high-achieving students and firmly establishing NYU-Poly as a world-class center of applied science, technology and engineering. 

NYU-Poly President Hultin said, “NYU-Poly’s new leased space has helped us attract world-class faculty while expanding research opportunities for our current faculty. This expansion also illustrates the strength that NYU is bringing to our institution, and to Brooklyn. Together, we are creating a magnet for vibrant student life and scholarship, and for technology-driven organizations.”

NYU President Sexton said, “The enthusiasm Brooklyn has shown to our University is fully reciprocated: our growing ties to Brooklyn are a source of great excitement to our students and our faculty, and it’s wonderful to be a part of Brooklyn’s growth.  This new space will be a real boost in NYU-Poly’s steady, ongoing efforts at achieving new levels of academic excellence.”  

Brooklyn Borough President Markowitz said, “The new leased space for labs, classrooms and faculty offices at 2 and 15 MetroTech Center is another significant step in NYU-Poly’s expansion in—and commitment to—Downtown Brooklyn,” said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. “I always like to say that our Downtown has more college students than Cambridge, Massachusetts, and NYU-Poly is further solidifying Brooklyn’s reputation as a center for higher learning by turning its campus into one that, in President Hultin’s words, ‘exudes innovation, invention, and entrepreneurship.’ Bravo to NYU-Poly on its new space, and hopefully soon we will be congratulating them again for being selected to open an applied science campus at 370 Jay Street.”

Deputy Mayor Steel said, “New York City is America’s largest college town, and our institutions of higher learning are a significant economic competitive advantage for the City, attracting and training the talent that businesses need to grow and thrive. On behalf of Mayor Bloomberg, congratulations to NYU-Poly and NYU on the expansion of NYU-Poly’s presence in Downtown Brooklyn.”

The expansion into MetroTech will allow NYU-Poly to expand its research labs, accommodate additional faculty, and create additional classrooms, while freeing up space in current facilities for renovation and potential redevelopment.

The space at 2 MetroTech Center will be the new hub for the entire Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) department and part of the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department.   NYU-Poly will have a separate entrance on Lawrence Street, where the lobby will feature a full-wall graphic of the Brooklyn Bridge rendered entirely in ASCII type (computer code).  The 10th floor space features faculty offices, computational labs, and work stations for post-docs and student researchers, among other facilities.  The ninth floor will soon undergo renovations to create large capacity classrooms and research space, including the Center for Advanced Technology in Telecommunications, and the Wireless Internet Center for Advanced Technology (WICAT) laboratory–the largest National Science Foundation-funded industry/academic cooperative research center.  Architect for the project is Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners.

The space at 15 MetroTech Center will be occupied by administrative offices, including the President’s and Provost’s Offices, among others.

Now in the second year of its 10-year campus transformation to upgrade its facilities, NYU-Poly already has completed several i2e initiatives, including: the building of the new Center of Innovation for Technology and Entertainment (CITE), made possible by a $2 million New York state grant, on the ground floor of the Bern Dibner Library Building; the renovation of the main corridor of Rogers Hall, complete with a high-tech information hub; and significant upgrades to the information systems infrastructure.

Images of the new spaces can be found and downloaded at http://research.poly.edu/~resourcespace/?c=540&k=a2fd95d381.  Photos should be credited “NYU-Poly”