Sites for applied sciences academic campus include Brooklyn Navy Yard, Roosevelt Island, Governors Island, and Staten Island. The City’s Economic Development Corporation issued a request for expressions of interest from universities, applied sciences organizations, or related institutions regarding the development and operation of a new applied sciences research facility and academic campus in the City. According to EDC, the City is interested in a facility specializing in applied engineering, but it could provide additional programs including environmental science, mathematics, chemistry, and computer science. A facility with a biotech focus is of less interest but would still be considered. The development may include non-academic uses such as faculty and student housing, restaurants and retail spaces to enhance the project’s educational facilities.

Interested developers may propose a privately owned development site, but the City has identified four City-controlled sites as potential locations for the facility. The sites include: the Navy Hospital Campus at Brooklyn Navy Yard; development sites on Governors Island; the Goldwater Hospital Campus on Roosevelt Island; and Farm Colony, Staten Island. If one of the City-controlled sites is chosen, the City would likely offer a 99-year lease to the developer.

The City expects to make a “significant contribution” to the facility in the form of capital funds and “other considerations” commensurate with the developer’s investment over the project’s first ten years of operation. The developer would be responsible for the project’s full build out and operation, including outreach efforts to potential students and faculty and creating links between industry and academia to ensure the facility’s output has commercial potential.

EDC anticipates releasing a request for proposals after reviewing the RFEI submissions. The submission deadline is March 16, 2011.

EDC: Request for Expressions of Interest – Applied Sciences (Dec. 16, 2010).