BY MARK HALLUM | Public WiFi service will be expanded in the Financial District following an announcement by the Alliance for Downtown New York and the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA).
Up to 1.5 million square feet of free WiFi is now available to the denizens of Battery Park City once routers are installed at Nelson A. Rockefeller, Teardrop and Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Parks, totaling 6 million square feet altogether.
“Our beautiful public spaces are host to hundreds of programs and thousands of parks users. We’re delighted to have partnered with the Downtown Alliance to strengthen ways to keep our community connected as they enjoy all the Battery Park City has to offer,” said BPCA President & CEO B.J. Jones. “We invite you to enjoy this free service. Stay tuned for more to come!”
Battery Park City’s esplanade is the next phase of the expansion coming in 2020, the two groups said in a joint press release, but this year’s expansion marks 11 years since the first WiFi access points were installed in 2008.
“Access to information is crucial in today’s connected world and as part of our mission to support Lower Manhattan we feel it’s vital to provide free and easy Wi-Fi access to as much of the neighborhood as possible,” Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin said. “We thank the Battery Park City Authority for working with us to bring this service to all of the residents on the West side and we look forward to seeing more selfies of residents living their best life in Lower Manhattan.”
The Battery Park City Authority is a New York State Public Benefit Corporation which conducts a series of initiatives to make the community a model for sustainability and commerce. The current WiFi system is supported by international law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr while BPCA will provide support for the new coverage area.
