NYC Mayor Opens Bronx Startup Incubator

Wow, it's almost right out of one of PG's essays:

"At one extreme is the sort of pork-barrel project where a town gets money from the state government to renovate a vacant building as a 'high-tech incubator'" -http://www.paulgraham.com/startupfunding.html

Seems like a local government committee was tasked with improving startup conditions and they fell back on the idea that every other local government has tried in order to make their own silicon valley.

I ask, not to be snarky, but out of actual curiosity, has any "incubator" or "tech park" kicked off a successful startup community, however small? Or do they all just end up being government subsidized office space?

I'm a new yorker and I have to day that I think it's a great idea that was done horribly. Bronx is a great borough but the majority of people I've met that had an interest in startups and etc have been in manhattan and Brooklyn where they live. It would've made more sense for them to either set up the office space in a location in manhattan even if it's a crappier part of the island because it's manhattan. Upper Upper east side above 103rd street is really startin to become gentrified an would be the perfect example of an awesome place for the "incubator" or office space because it's easy for everyone to get too and makes sense.

Btw I pt 500 dollars rent with utilities and I have my own room. The apt has two bathrooms full kitchen and a balcony vig enough for a BBQ. I say this as an example of how cheap the area could be and how it would make sense.

Lastly, if NYC wants to really help the incubator then they need to not only give office space but they need to make real connections and partnerships with NYC vcs and angels who provide the funding.

I have my masters from Baruch and I don't think that their "partnership with the school" is anything to jump up and down about.

Ita definitely a step in the tight direction but they should've gone about it a bit smarter

Is it too cynical of me to be thinking that this is really more about real estate than it is about tech? Seems that the city is trying to clean up one of its crappier neighborhoods by luring in companies (however misguided that lure might or might not be).

I lived in that area for five years, definitely not a place you want to be in.

Yikes. I know the South Bronx has very slowly been gentrifying, but Hunts Point is still not the nicest of neighborhoods. They couldn't stick this in Riverdale?