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The problem with the discussion in this entry of the Bloomberg effort wrt the Cornell-Technion university is that it's a university. It's not designed, directly, to be space for startups. The idea is that a new university engineering based, at a level higher than that of NYU's and Columbia's and Cooper Union's engineering programs will seed the next generation of technology innovation and industry in NYC.

They aren't subsidizing startup space other than incubators and technical assistance and such, not unlike initiatives relating to the Brooklyn Navy Yard reuse and maintaining the garment industry.

Given that business of all types is increasingly technology and computing technology based, the Bloomberg initiative is probably a good one.

That being said, it's a quantum scale level different project from the type of initiative as suggested by this post.

First, the thing about space and cost and innovation is Jane Jacobs 101. It's the whole point of "the large stock of old buildings" being one of the 4 essential elements to great cities.

Second, the nature of DC's real estate market militates against the existence of such buildings in the current market, and for the foreseeable future, unless the height restriction is broken, and even then it will take decades to see a measurable impact on rents in terms of JJ 101.

Third, the thing about the Bloomberg initiative is to figure out how to do something like that, in terms of enhancing the city's engineering, IT, computer engineering, bioengineering, health telematics education.

The point people made about NoVA... yep, that cluster developed as a response to DARPA, DOD, telecommunications needs, plus MCI.

A few years ago when some local said, DC wants to get in on the health software end of the healthcare debate, I wrote something to the effect that there is a difference between letting contracts and writing code and creating software applications. Anyway...

Third, you could work with CUA and AFRH to leverage the engineering resources at CUA and HU along with space adjacent to the AFRH and CUA that CUA acquired to use as a potential research park, along with space at AFRH.

Or you could do the St. E's idea as expressed above. I like the St. E's idea. Frankly, I'd just let people use it now, if they want, without worrying too much about the master plan. It's not like the city is making money off it now.

Although it is locationally deficient and will be for some time. That's the whole attraction of cheap space though, people will take it and the area will improve in the process.

Fourth, or you can work to do both.

Fifth, it's reasonable to do because the city needs a better balanced economy.

Sixth, even though people criticized it, actually Mayor Williams' idea to move UDC to St. E's was a good one. You could do that, add an initiative somewhat comparable to the Bloomberg one, and when the St. E's west campus redevelopment tanks because Congress won't give them more money for DHS consolidation, take that over too. Make it the tech area.

These kinds of initiatives work out over a multidecade timeframe.

And still won't solve the unemployment issue because regardless, DC isn't going to participate much on the manufacturing end of things, where reasonably high paying jobs for the "less" educated but still "highly technically skilled" will be available.

by Richard Layman on Jul 7, 2012 9:40 am • link • report