BP MARKOWITZ JOINS DUMBO BID, TWO TREES, NYCWIRELESS TO ANNOUNCE FREE WI-FI SERVICE IN DUMBO
On Thursday, June 2, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, the DUMBO BID, Two Trees Management Company and NYCwireless gathered at the Archway under the
"For the first time in New York City, an entire area has become a hot spot--a haven for bloggers, Tweeters, emailers, Facebookers, eReaders and everyone else who thrives on the internet," said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. "One day, mark my words, this area will rival
Photo by Kathryn Kirk
In photo (left to right): Dana Spiegel, executive director, NYCwireless; BP Markowitz; Jed Walentas, Two Trees Management Company; Regina Myer, president, Brooklyn Bridge Park; Dan Wiley, representing Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez; Alexandria Sica, executive director, DUMBO BID
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DUMBO GOES WIRELESS
NYC's First-Ever Neighborhood With Free Internet Connectivity on Streets, Parks & Plazas
BROOKLYN, NY (June 2, 2011) -DUMBO Business Improvement District (BID), Two Trees Management Company, and NYCwireless announce that DUMBO, Brooklyn's vibrant, waterfront community, is now New York City's first neighborhood to offer wireless on Streets, in its Parks and Plazas. DUMBO Wi-Fi is made possible by a public-private partnership between the neighborhood's largest real estate holder, Two Trees, and the entity most directly responsible for guiding the development of public space in the DUMBO community, the DUMBO BID.
Many wireless networks have sprung up all over NYC, but never before has an entire area been blanketed with this service. DUMBO Wi-Fi will literally "light up" the streets of DUMBO. There will also be full coverage within the parks and plazas in DUMBO, notably the northern portion of Brooklyn Bridge Park between the two Bridges, The Archway under the Manhattan Bridge and in the Pearl Street Triangle.
The Wi-Fi network is the latest example of innovation in DUMBO. Whether it be the green transformation of abandoned manufacturing buildings into a thriving residential and office district or the countless start-ups and entrepreneurial companies that were attracted by the vibrancy of the community, people with vision and creative ideas call DUMBO home. The Wi-Fi network will also give visitors to the neighborhood and
"We are encouraging people to step out of their offices and homes and engage with one another and the neighborhood in new and different ways," said Alexandria Sica, Executive Director of the DUMBO BID. "DUMBO is the epicenter for digital start-ups and production companies. Wi-Fi is one more way to inspire the workforce we have and help attract new talent to the Brooklyn Waterfront. In DUMBO, you can put together a proposal while gazing at the
"Streets are the backbone of a community and being thoughtful about their design and function should not be limited to the physical structure," said Tucker Reed, Director of Special Projects, at Two Trees. "Today, free Wi-Fi is an essential component of public space design and we expect that DUMBO's strong workforce made up of entrepreneurial, early tech adopters, largely between the ages of 22 and 40, as well as many creative businesses, artists, cultural galleries and trendy retail shops and boutiques will take full advantage of this new neighborhood amenity. This neighborhood has always been a pioneering district, and though this initiative our creativity will now literally spill out into the streets, building community and encouraging collaboration and innovation."
The building, installation, and maintenance of the Wi-Fi network is executed by NYCwireless, a non-profit organizations that builds, supports, and advocates for free, public Wi-Fi Internet access in New York City. "NYCwireless is proud to be part of this pioneering project," said Dana Spiegel, Executive Director of NYCwireless." DUMBO has taken a position as one of the most advanced neighborhoods in
Last summer, more than 1,000 people per hour used the
"For the first time in New York City, an entire area has become a hot spot--a haven for bloggers, Tweeters, emailers, Facebookers, eReaders and everyone else who thrives on the internet," said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. "One day, mark my words, this area will rival
"Bringing WiFi to public spaces throughout Dumbo is another example of the creative energy and spirit of innovation that has made this a go-to neighborhood for start-ups and small businesses," said New York City Councilmember Steve Levin. "Wi-Fi will draw more people and more businesses to the neighborhood and allow Dumbo to continue to thrive. I applaud the efforts of the BID in ensuring that Dumbo stays on the cutting edge of technology improvements."
"Across the five boroughs,
ABOUT DUMBO BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
The Dumbo Improvement District is the local Business Improvement District and provides services throughout the neighborhood including street beautification, advocacy, neighborhood marketing, support for small businesses, public events, programming and public art. The DUMBO Improvement District maintains the
ABOUT TWO TREES MANAGEMENT CO.
Two Trees Management Co. owns most of the Brooklyn neighborhood of DUMBO ("Down Under the
ABOUT
Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation, known as Brooklyn Bridge Park, is the not-for-profit entity responsible for the planning, construction, maintenance and operation of
ABOUT NYCWIRELESS
NYCwireless is a non-profit organization that builds, supports, and advocates for free, public Wi-Fi Internet access in