NEW ROCHELLE, NY — As part of the largest downtown redevelopment initiative in the history of the Hudson Valley, the City of New Rochelle has contracted with LQD WiFi LLC, a provider of integrated networks of community technology hubs, to develop the first-ever ‘Palo’ WiFi kiosk program for the city.
On November 14, it was announced that LQD was acquired by Verizon. (see Verizon release)
The Palo kiosks will offer New Rochelle residents and visitors free high-speed WiFi and public safety features, and include a robust community engagement program. The comprehensive and welcoming platform will showcase the City as an ideal place to live, work and grow.
“These cutting-edge kiosks will present the best of what our City has to offer, for everything from cultural events to local businesses and job opportunities, and for residents and visitors alike,” said City Manager Charles B. Strome, III.
By creating a dynamic and accessible digital base, the new Palo kiosks will stimulate downtown activity and support a flourishing New Rochelle economy by promoting local businesses, innovation and opportunity.
“We designed Palo, from day one, to be part of the community, offering Wi-Fi, public safety features and a unique, interactive community engagement platform,” explained LQD Founder and CEO Randy Ramusack. “Palo’s human-scale touch screen lets users explore and connect with the local community creating multiple ways to engage, through an innovative, purposeful and curated experience.”
“LQD’s Palo technology hubs capture Verizon’s vision of delivering citizen engagement experiences by connecting people with their communities while providing critical security, transportation and wayfinding solutions as well as Wi-Fi capabilities,” said Mike Lanman, senior vice president, Enterprise Products and Internet of Things at Verizon. “This transaction uniquely positions us to utilize our unmatched infrastructure, platforms and network at scale to deploy elegant and engaging community technology hubs that connect, inform, inspire and support people where they live, work and play.”
Specifically, the Palo business model incorporates the following strategies:
· provide current and relevant information for communities via the pebble OS;
· connect communities with free public WiFi, enhanced cellular services, microphones and webcams, charging stations and e-commerce capabilities;
· enhance local public safety services through two-way, real-time emergency calling, emergency notifications, vibrant street lighting, security cameras and accessible public safety information; and
· engage 21st century communities with an interactive software experience that includes targeted advertising, the ability to locate nearby attractions, neighborhood news, community sign-ups, job boards and several other features.
“We want New Rochelle to be an ideal place to live, work and grow,” said New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, “and we recognize that a healthy future depends increasingly on robust digital infrastructure, based on cutting-edge technology, that can connect residents and businesses alike in a friendly, accessible way. Our partnership with LQD will accomplish all of these goals.”
The installation of Palo is part of New Rochelle’s multi-faceted downtown development initiative – the largest program of its kind in the history of Hudson Valley – that will turn New Rochelle into one of the highest caliber “live, work and grow” communities in the region and state. The program’s total build-out will extend to 12 million sq. ft., including 2.4 million sq. ft. of prime medical and non-medical office, 1 million sq. ft. of retail, 6,370 hundred housing units and 1,200 hotel rooms. New Rochelle’s procedural framework for economic development is unprecedented in the Hudson Valley Region and has the capacity to attract both public and private capital on a huge scale and within this economic cycle.
The first Palo kiosks are slated to be installed in New Rochelle next spring.