Joseph Simone, President of Simone Development Says Attractive Place-Making is Essential to Life-Science Development
Landscaping, urban design and public amenities are essential elements in successful life-sciences development, said Joseph Simone of Simone Development Companies.
Landscaping, urban design and public amenities are essential elements in successful life-sciences development, said Joseph Simone of Simone Development Companies.
“As we’ve seen at the emerging Manhattanville Factory District in West Harlem, the construction of a three-block pedestrian greenway along buildings containing wet labs and offices will enhance this innovation corridor, making it more attractive to tenants and their employees,” said Joe Simone, President of Simone Development Companies.
West Harlem’s growth is fueled by Columbia University’s and the Manhattanville Factory District’s expansion into the formerly industrial neighborhood, transforming it into an educational and technological hub. The Manhattanville area lies north of 125th Street and east of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard.
“Outdoor people habitats are important to technology and life-sciences companies because they employ knowledge workers who must be inspired to achieve breakthroughs,” said Joseph Simone. “These employees’ ah-ha moments can happen on a bike trail, in a flower garden or a beautifully designed public plaza.”
Published renderings for the Manhattanville Factory District greenway include trees, public seating and lawns that invite picnics or sunbathing.
Simone Development Companies is pursuing a similar strategy at its Hutchinson Metro Center in the Bronx. The Hutchinson Metro Center’s proposed South Campus will include ball fields, lawns, seating areas and a greenway through the center of the development. The complex already has a health club, hotel and bicycle trails running along the Hutchinson River Parkway.
“Our proposed South Campus incorporates the latest thinking in public-space design,” said Joseph Simone. “We believe our landscaped and recreational areas will be must-have amenities for the medical technology and life-sciences firms that this complex will attract.”
ABOUT SIMONE DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES
Simone Development Companies is a fully integrated private real estate investment and development company that acquires and develops healthcare, mixed-use, commercial, industrial, retail and residential properties. Headquartered at the Hutchinson Metro Center, it boasts a portfolio of over seven million square feet throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Long Island, Westchester, Orange and Fairfield Counties and New Jersey. With services spanning acquisition, development, construction, finance, asset management, accounting, leasing and property management, Simone Development Companies is set apart by its creatively oriented management team, long-term asset ownership and its pursuit of visionary development.
Contact Author
DEAN BENDER
Thompson & Bender
914 391 6042
