Cornell's $2 Billion Campus in New York Will 'Bridge' Academia and Corporations

The eagerly anticipated addition of a $2 billion campus for Cornell on Roosevelt Island will include a gesture toward the new model of innovation economy that directly connects universities with their cities.

1 minute read

June 17, 2015, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Jessica Leber reports on a critical component of Cornell's new $2 billion campus on Roosevelt Island in New York City—a "corporate co-location" building that will make a literal connection between academia and corporate interests. The Bridge, as the building is called, is one of three buildings scheduled to open in 2017 as part of the project's first phase.

Leber got the scoop on the name of the building prior to a groundbreaking ceremony held on June 16, and a promo video is also available online that teases the concept.

Leber explains a little more about what makes the building unique in the crowded New York City commercial real estate market:

"The Bridge is unusual for New York office space in that it doesn't have pre-leased anchor tenants other than Cornell Tech. The companies in the building will be carefully curated by Forest City Ratner, in discussions with the university. The goal is to bring in an eclectic mix of startups (ideally involving the school's graduates) and larger companies working on applications that match Cornell’s program areas: connective media, the built environment, and health tech."

The article also includes renderings of the new building and some description of design details by Leber.

Monday, June 15, 2015 in Fast Co.Exist

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

Nilu Jenks wears a long gray coat and speaks with one man and two women outside.

Housing is the top priority of Seattle’s sole new councilmember

Jenks campaigned on building 1,000 new units of affordable housing.

November 8 - Reason

People sit on wooden benches on a bus in Miami

New tax cuts may slash $1.5 billion in funding for Miami transit, public parks

Amendment 3 will save Miami-Dade homeowners $2,700 in 2028.

November 8 - Miami New Times

Two men install solar panels on the roof of a house.

Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania hope to finally advance climate goals post-midterms

The three states have spent years under Republican or divided control.

November 8 - Grist

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.