Courtesy New Rochelle
$1 million from a national challenge will bridge the gap between civilians and city planners.
In 2018, the City of New Rochelle was one of eight winners across the U.S. of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge. This yearlong competition challenged city leaders to come up with fresh and innovative ideas that would help resolve urgent issues within their cities.
The only winner from New York, New Rochelle has now been awarded $1 million to incorporate virtual reality in its city planning. The program would allow people to fully view around 3 million square feet of proposed buildings and other developments in public spaces using mobile devices or VR goggles. The plans would additionally be available online, at four kiosk stations along The Linc — planned connection between Lincoln Ave and Downtown — and at a New Rochelle Virtual Reality (NRVR) space at the train station.
This project would help eliminate the disconnect between residents and city planners, enabling residents to be more engaged and informed on the city’s plans in addition to serving as a vehicle where opinions and feedback can be voiced using ongoing surveys through the VR platform.
New Rochelle Development Commissioner Luiz Aragon says, “The cornerstone of our redevelopment is our New Ro Strong community, whose input and engagement on reimaging our Downtown is invaluable. The implementation of the virtual reality platform provides another innovative outlet for residents to creatively visualize the future transformation of New Rochelle.”
More information regarding New Rochelle’s latest projects can be found online.
