Giant Tech Hub Planned for Union Square

EAST VILLAGE, NY — "Silicon Alley," our city's version of the Bay Area's tech mecca (or dystopia, depending on your point of view), will be getting a headquarters of sorts in the form of a 258,000-square-foot hub in Union Square, a spokesperson for the city's Economic Development Corporation (EDC) confirmed Thursday.

Plans for the $250 million project, dubbed "14th @ Irving," have been announced for 124 E. 14 St. — currently home to a two-decade-old PC Richard. The electronic and appliance store will (somewhat poignantly) be relegated to the basement, according to the EDC, to make room for classrooms where New Yorkers will be able to learn digital skills; work spaces for early-stage tech startups; and a food court managed by Urbanspace on the ground floor.

A spokesperson from EDC says that the project "meets an increasing need in New York City for tech-focused infrastructure and diverse tenanting policies that allow for the[...]flexible office space for growing start-ups that have outgrown co-working space but are not yet ready for a traditional lease."

The project is being spearheaded by EDC in partnership with Civic Hall, a Manhattan organization that aims to "advance the use of technology for the public good."

In keeping with that agenda, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen told Patch over email that the new hub would not only serve tech companies, but young New Yorkers hoping to get a foot in the door of the tech world.

"This is going to be a real center of gravity for the tech community and an open door for a lot of folks who haven't had access to the kinds of jobs and opportunities the sector provides. I want this to be a place that a bright kid in high school or fresh out of Brooklyn College can come to build a career in tech."

A spokesperson for EDC added that "The programming at 14th @ Irving will be designed to remove barriers to tech education and foster a culture of inclusivity and opportunity. On-site project partners/community groups will drive that effort."

Construction on the space is scheduled to begin in 2018. An opening is set for 2020.

Lead image via Google Maps