Project 2010 Brings New Life to NYU-Poly, Sign of Things to Come

Polytechnic Institute of NYU celebrated the grand opening of Project 2010, a vibrant renovation of the campus’ main artery in Rogers Hall and its cafeteria, at a town hall and ribbon cutting ceremony on September 27. It is the first of many significant construction projects planned for the next 10 years called “i²e Campus Transformation” for their promotion of the school’s invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship (i²e) philosophy.

“We are well on our way to being where a great engineering and science institute for the 21st century needs to be,” said NYU-Poly President Jerry M. Hultin of the momentum Project 2010 and other i²e Campus Transformation initiatives have created. One example is the Gaming Innovation Lab, a multi-functional research and seminar space, that will be built in the Dibner Building. Construction is expected to start in early October.

Dennis Dintino, vice president of finance and business affairs, explained how the Institute’s long-term goals for its academic programs drive all i²e Campus Transformation decisions. He also thanked the faculty, students, and administration members who sat on Project 2010-related committees. The project, he noted, was completed “on time and on budget.”

Project 2010 highlights in the main Rogers corridor include a textured, green glass wall, LCD monitors that display news and events around campus and New York City, and a touchscreen that allows students to swipe their IDs to see their schedules. (Students used it 2000 times on the first day of classes.) Café highlights include glass doors that let sunlight stream in from the café into the hallway, new, modern furniture, and energy improvements like a white ceiling that reflects light. (Watch a time lapse of the Project 2010 transformation below.)

Daniel Hernandez of Jonathan Rose Companies, the firm overseeing the i²e Campus Transformation, presented concepts for future i²e Campus Transformation projects. Among them is a green engineering and science building with a green utility plant that would replace the Jacobs Administrative Building. Another is gutting and rebuilding the interior of Rogers Hall with things like student innovation labs for rapid prototyping to strengthen its role as “the heart of the campus.”

NYU-Poly will finalize the i²e Campus Transformation capital plan by the end of the year with input from the NYU-Poly community.

• Learn more about the driving principles and committees that help to shape i²e Campus Transformation projects.
• Read Q and A's about the projects.