The Bronx’s first city-sponsored business incubator opened today in Taconic Investment Partner’s BankNote Building, according to an announcement by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The Sunshine Bronx Business Incubator, at 890 Garrison Avenue in Hunts Point, has about 11,000 square feet and 180 workspaces wired with digital and video technology, which it hopes will accommodate as many as 400 entrepreneurs. Fifteen companies were already in place for today’s opening.
Sunshine Suites was selected to operate the incubator by the city in 2009, and signed a 10-year lease for the space with Taconic Investment Partners. Sunshine has also had office incubators in Noho and Tribeca since 2001.
Tenants in the Bronx incubator can lease space for as low as $99 per month for virtual offices, while indvidual desks rent for $275 per month. The incubator offers short-term leases to help accommodate small companies’ growth.
“Over the past three years, we’ve worked with the private sector to establish eight business incubators that provide low-cost office space to new businesses in growing fields – and the Bank Note building is the perfect place to foster this type of innovation in the Bronx,” Bloomberg said. “Allowing entrepreneurs to rub shoulders and share ideas, in an environment that’s affordable enough to let them turn those ideas into action, is a key part of what we’re doing to create jobs and diversify New York City’s economy.”
Built with a $250,000 Economic Development Corp. grant, the incubator hopes to attract businesses specializing in finance, new media, technology, biomedicine and healthcare. The city has previously opened seven other incubators across other boroughs. - Adam Fusfeld
