Cornell Set To Build New York's New High-Tech Campus

Mayor Bloomberg is very excited about Cornell's proposed new campus.

And the winner of New York City's high-tech campus sweepstakes appears to be... Cornell, by $350 million dollars. Mayor Bloomberg is expected to announce the news later today at the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and the Ithaca-based Ivy is apparently so eager to get started they want to have their first classes going by next September—a year earlier than the Bloomberg administration initially asked for!

The rush to anoint Cornell ahead of the original January announcement deadline comes days after Stanford abruptly dropped out of the race just as Cornell announced a record-breaking $350 million donation to help it build a $2 billion city campus. Cornell is proposing to build 2.1 million square foot of building space around Roosevelt Island that will accomodate more than 2,000 students. The project, "to be built over a generation, would include a range of unusual environmental features, like heavy use of solar energy and geothermal wells."

Part of the reported appeal of Cornell's bid, beyond its existing presence in the city just across from the proposed Roosevelt Island site, is that it is willing to spend more money on the new school—including on toxic on-site clean up—in the hopes that it will eventually make a bundle off of tech patents its students and faculty create (as schools like Stanford and MIT already do).

In order to get the ball rolling though, the school is said to be planning to start classes next fall on a site away from the Roosevelt Island. Cornell appears to be under a lot of pressure to get this thing going from the beleaguered Bloomberg administration. As a source gently puts it to the Times: "There’s a lot of work to do, and a real desire to get things rolling in the time the mayor has left in office."

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By Garth Johnston in News on December 19, 2011 10:03 AM

Comments [rss]

randomtransplant

Now maybe, finally, all those extra rides can convince Shortline that they don't have to price gouge an entire area code during every holiday with cold-war era buses.

Repaulsive

Ithaca to NYC transit is really under served. Two bus lines (Shortline & Cornell) and that's it. As you mention Shortline takes full advantage by over charging and providing generally poor service. I was on a bus once that broke down half way through the trip, miserable experience that involved carrying luggage along the highway side in the cold, eventually they dispatched a bus to pick us up. No apology or refund.

Dale

Doesn't RIOC just contract Shortline? You should talk to reps of RIOC. But with that increased population density, wouldn't be more likely the MTA would take over bus service? Granted, the MTA might not be much more of an improvement.

Peanut_Butter

Cornell, that's a darn good school.

Spirit of 76

Meh. I would have preferred MIT or CalTech. Although in one way, it doesn't really matter. The urban explorer in me will miss the old, decrepit Roosevelt Island with its interesting ruins. It'll be just like Manhattan how, every acre built up and used.

Peanut_Butter

Sydney Pollack's (RIP) character's quote from A Civil Action when he patronizes John Travolta's character for not having attended Harvard Law.

splicernyc

I agree that this is a big deal and a plus for NYC but I can't help but think that we'll now be in a three-way battle between NYU, Columbia and now Cornell for real estate.

GentleGiant

In what way? Neither Columbia or NYU want to expand to Roosevelt Island.

splicernyc

Right now Columbia is buying up Harlem, NYU is buying up the Village and now Cornell will own Roosevelt Island.

Christopher Daly

How do you spell Mike Bloomberg in cash? A-N-O-N-Y-M-O-U-S D-O-N-A-T-I-O-N.

GentleGiant

Except that people close to Bloomberg and Cornell deny that it was Bloomberg that gave the money.

Sven Gali

Nothing to see here. Bloomberg is helping to link NYC with aparthied Israel.
Gotta help the brand. Gotta make racism and occupation seem 'normal'.

splicernyc

What?

Sven Gali

Cornell is partnering with an Israeli University...and that is why they and not Standford or MIT are getting approved.

If it was about what was best for NYC the other universities which are World Class would have gotten picked, but instead its about PR gift from Bloomberg and establishment in NYC for racist Israel...

http://mondoweiss.net/2011/12/...