You cannot access this page directly.
INVENT CITY.
MISSION: Expand and accelerate the global adoption of city-ready climate solutions.
OBJECTIVES:
Drive forward the deployment of scalable, urban responses to the climate crisis in cities worldwide.
Boost NYC’s economy through investment and adaptive reuse—generating economic growth, tax revenue, and high-growth jobs.
1.1. THE COSTS OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS — Rising CO2, air temperatures and sea levels are driving mounting costs for cities. Flooding disrupts infrastructure, while heat stress weakens transport and energy systems. Heatwaves and air pollution drive up public health burdens. Vector-borne disease risk rises. Property damage and displacement raise local costs. Business disruption grows frequent. Insurance pullout deters investment. Energy demand and water stress strain utilities. Waste systems are overwhelmed.
1.2. OPPORTUNITIES FROM ADDRESSING IT — The climate crisis is not only a generational challenge—it’s a defining economic opportunity for investors, companies, and governments. Demand is accelerating for clean transportation, renewable energy, and efficient buildings. New markets are emerging around smart infrastructure, green construction, and climate-friendly food. Growth in carbon markets and resilience finance is creating new revenue streams and policy tools. Those who invest early—whether capital, policy, or technology—can shape and lead the global transition to a carbon-zero economy.
1.3. MISSED OPPORTUNITIES — Cities are the defining battleground of the 21st century. By 2050, nearly 70% of the global population will be urban. Cities drive economic power, concentrate innovation, and shape global policy. But they also face profound threats—from climate shocks to urban inequity. The future will be won or lost in cities—and the time to act is now.
WHY CITIES ARE CRITICAL IN THE FUTURE — Cities are both major contributors to emissions and powerful engines of change. Urban areas account for more than 70% of global carbon emissions, yet they also concentrate innovation, infrastructure, and investment.
In developed cities, the focus is on retrofitting aging systems and reducing consumption. In fast-growing cities in the Global South, there’s a historic opportunity to build climate-smart infrastructure from the ground up.
The future of the climate fight will be won or lost in cities—where the majority of people live, where emissions are concentrated, and where bold action can create resilient, inclusive, low-carbon futures.
3.1. CLUSTERS ARE GLOBAL — An industrial cluster is a geographic concentration of interconnected companies, suppliers, and institutions in a specific industry, or concentration of industries, that boosts innovation, productivity, and growth. A cluster will help critical innovation cross the chasm.
3.2. STARTING WITH NYC , FIDI IS THE IDEAL LOCATION FOR AN URBAN, INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER — FiDi is ideal because its global visibility, dense infrastructure, and historic significance amplify impact—location drives momentum, investment, and global replication.
3.3. USE WHAT EXISTS FOR THE VENUE — Minimizes environmental impact, cuts costs, and accelerates delivery of project.
| USE WHAT EXISTS |
| Vacant Offices — Invent City will transform much of FiDi’s 12M sf of vacant office space—especially east of Broadway—into climate tech showrooms, innovation hubs, and exhibit venues. This reuse strategy is faster, greener, and more cost-effective than residential conversion. It accelerates economic activation while maintaining a low-carbon footprint. Source: Cushman Wakefield. |
| Vacant Retail — With 24% of storefronts in Lower Manhattan vacant (source), Invent City proposes activating these spaces with climate pop-ups, experiential retail, and sustainability-focused businesses. This reuses existing real estate, revitalizes streetscapes, and builds public momentum for the carbon-zero economy. |
| Vacant Land — With over 30% office vacancy in FiDi’s Insurance District, stalled development sites now sit empty. Invent City proposes using these lots for temporary climate exhibits, innovation showcases, and community events. Potential locations include Fulton Street, Maiden Lane, and Nassau Street. |
| Public Spaces — Invent City will activate plazas through public-private partnerships, turning them into exhibit and event venues. Examples include: Fuson Plaza, Louise Nevelson Plaza, Aivin Garden, DeLury Square, Titanic Memorial, Peck Slip Plaza, Coenties Slip Park, Golden Hill Plaza. |
| POPS — Privately Owned Public Spaces are often underused but ideal for climate exhibits, cultural programs, and public events. Buildings with POPS can host learning spaces and temporary installations. See NYC Planning and the MAS APOPS Map for reference. |
| Other Opportunities — Lower Manhattan offers flexible, overlooked assets for climate activations, including spaces under the FDR, taxpayer-owned lots, large mixed-use facilities, street parking sheds, and educational campuses. With the right programming, these assets can bring visibility and momentum to Invent City’s carbon-zero mission. |
Invent City will transform much of FiDi’s 12M sf of vacant office space—especially east of Broadway—into climate tech showrooms, innovation hubs, and exhibit venues. This reuse strategy is faster, greener, and more cost-effective than residential conversion, accelerating economic activation with a low-carbon footprint. By repurposing underused buildings, Invent City directly addresses FiDi’s vacancy crisis while positioning the district as a showcase for the carbon-zero economy. Source: Cushman Wakefield.
| SUPPLY | Inventory | Vacant |
|---|---|---|
| Finance West | 6,211,658 sf | 2,103,351 sf |
| Insurance | 12,587,451 sf | 4,678,003 sf |
| World Trade | 24,144,411 sf | 4,814,215 sf |
| Finance East | 29,924,952 sf | 7,966,073 sf |
| Totals | 72,868,472 sf | 19,561,642 sf |
| DEMAND | Area Needed |
|---|---|
| Carbon Zero Direct | 1,000,000 sf |
| Carbon Zero Indirect | 2,000,000 sf |
| Totals | 3,000,000 sf |
3.4. ESTABLISH OPERATIONAL BACKBONE — Invent City achieves its greatest impact through urban hubs and selective pedestrianization. These hubs optimize logistics, transit, waste, and sanitation, boosting sustainability and infrastructure. NYC’s Department of Transportation is rolling out cargo hubs, setting the stage for robust networks to support events like a micro urban world’s fair.
THE URBAN, CLIMATE ECONOMY CUTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE INDUSTRIAL SPECTRUM — The FiDi cluster brings together solutions for urban systems and global industries in one concentrated hub. High-growth sectors like clean energy, climate tech, and digital infrastructure are driving explosive demand. Climate is no longer just an environmental issue—it’s a global, existential market force. FiDi’s cluster is where capital, innovation, and leadership converge.
5.2. TRADE MARTS WORLDWIDE — Trade marts around the world serve as vital hubs where industries showcase products, forge partnerships, and drive economic exchange. For businesses, they offer year-round access to buyers, visibility in competitive markets, and a platform to launch innovations. For governments, trade marts boost exports, attract investment, and strengthen global trade networks—making them powerful tools for economic development and national competitiveness.
TRADE MARTS AND NYC'S REAL ESTATE— Two clear advantages, first is that the trademart has much of the same impact as retail, but with fewer visitors. Second, showroom space will likely drive demand for additional office space for support offices. Chelsea Harbour in London uses about 1.5sf additional office demand for every 1sf of showroom demand.
Complementary content and channels can extend the Trade Mart’s impact well beyond its walls.
COMPLEMENTING THE TRADE MART
(click on diagrams to enlarge)
7 Benefits from Invent City
Drive climate impact, attract capital, grow NYC’s economy, boost tourism, and lift real estate through targeted, green innovation.
Environmental & Economic Benefits — Invent City positions NYC as a global marketing powerhouse and dynamic accelerator for climate innovation. By showcasing practical, scalable solutions in a densely urbanized hub, Invent City enables faster adoption, enhances urban resilience, boosts economic growth, and promotes global replication.
| Key City Benefits |
|---|
| Accelerate climate tech deployment |
| Elevate NYC’s climate leadership |
| Fuel growth through innovation |
| Strengthen resilience with nature-based design |
| Engage the public with real-world demos |
| Advance low-carbon urban models |
| Specific Benefits |
|---|
| Drive sales with direct buyer access |
| Form strategic partnerships quickly |
| Access cutting-edge innovation |
| Achieve global brand exposure |
| Engage targeted, high-value customers |
| Unlock new market opportunities |
| Establish thought leadership |
| Specific Benefits |
|---|
| Create jobs across diverse industries |
| Reignite property, sales, and tourism taxes |
| Activate vacant office spaces |
| Boost high-value business tourism |
| Attract capital, startups, and investors |
| Drive clean energy and infrastructure growth |
| Tourism-Specific Benefits |
|---|
| Boost hotel occupancy rates |
| Drive business travel and events |
| Increase restaurant and retail spending |
| Revitalize cultural and transit activity |
| Attract international visitors and delegations |
| Strengthen NYC’s global brand as a business hub |
| Specific Benefits |
|---|
| Fill vacant offices with purpose-driven tenants |
| Increase lease demand and strengthen rents |
| Boost tax revenue through rising valuations |
| Attract investment into a revitalized district |
| Support street-level retail and public life |