General

Plans for Transformative ‘SciTech Scity’ Science & Technology Campus at Liberty Science Center Advance with Council Approval

 â€˜SciTech Scity’ will Establish Jersey City as the Region’s Premier Innovation Destination, Grow Jersey City’s High-Tech Sector, and Educate Next Generation of Students as Leaders in the Fields of Science and Technology

Jersey City home of Liberty Science center

 

JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop and Liberty Science Center President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Hoffman announced today that the transformative project to create a comprehensive science and technology campus passed an important milestone with City Council approval Wednesday. SciTech Scity is an ambitious initiative for the expansion of Liberty Science Center that will establish Jersey City as a regional innovation destination.

The $280 million project known as ‘SciTech Scity,’ which will be developed by Liberty Science Center on 16-acres of city-owned property across from the institution, will feature a biotech lab, a coding lab, a technology business incubator and a K-12 STEM-focused school, as well as a scholars village with residences for visiting scientists.

“This is one of the most exciting projects we have had the opportunity to work on as it is an innovative, ambitious partnership with the private sector that will attract scientists and innovators from around the world,” said Mayor Fulop.  “SciTech Scity will be a catalyst for the growth of a technology sector here in Jersey City, generating thousands of high-tech jobs and an entirely new industry for our workforce. 

“And with the new STEM school, we will be educating our youth in the areas that will set them apart as leaders and prepare them for careers in technology here in Jersey City or wherever their future takes them,” added Mayor Fulop. 

On Wednesday night, the City Council voted 8-0 to authorize the necessary zoning and other changes required to allow SciTech Scity to move forward. Their vote follows the recommendation of the Jersey City Planning Board, which voted to grant necessary approvals at its December 20th, 2016 meeting.

While focusing on emerging science and tech businesses, SciTech Scity will also attract already established technology companies to locate in Jersey City, as part of Mayor Fulop’s vision to grow Jersey City’s technology sector. SciTech Scity would also be an educational hub for the entire community with residents of all ages being able to utilize the leading-edge facilities, such as the coding lab to develop new apps or learn to write code. 

“SciTech Scity will be a community of people and companies who come together to invent the future,” said Hoffman.  “This transformative project will happen because of the unique partnership between Liberty Science Center and Jersey City, and Mayor Fulop’s visionary leadership.”

 

Plans for SciTech Scity will include the following components:

 

  • Liberty Science K-12 Schoolwill bring cutting edge science and technology education to Jersey City and develop new curriculum that can be shared around the world.
  • Edge Worksis a complete re-imagination of today’s workplace with more than 160,000 SF of research labs, private studios, open workspaces, and a conference center.
  • Scholars Villagewill also feature a Scholars Village to provide short- and long-term residences for those working at or visiting SciTech Scity in addition to STEM graduate students in the area.

Construction on the project is expected to begin late 2018 with plans for an opening in 2020/2021.  The project is expected to create approximately 2,526 construction jobs during its development, and once complete will create 600 permanent jobs, of which a significant portion will be expected to go to Jersey City residents.  Funding for the project is expected to come largely from venture partners and philanthropists.

 

About Liberty Science Center

Liberty Science Center (LSC.org) is a 300,000-square-foot not-for-profit learning center located in Liberty State Park on the Jersey City bank of the Hudson near the Statue of Liberty. Dedicated to bringing the power, promise, and pure fun of science and technology to people of all ages, Liberty Science Center houses 12 museum exhibition halls, a live animal collection with 110 species, giant aquariums, a 3D theater, the world’s largest IMAX Dome Theater, live simulcast surgeries, a tornado-force wind simulator, K-12 classrooms and labs, and teacher-development programs. More than 250,000 students visit the Science Center each year, and tens of thousands more participate in the Center’s offsite and online programs. LSC is the most visited cultural institution in New Jersey with 650,000 visitors annually and the largest interactive science center in the NYC-NJ metropolitan area.