The City of New Rochelle announced today the launch of NRVR.com, the website for its new virtual reality-driven platform to inspire citizen engagement and local input in the planning and development process throughout New Rochelle. The use of virtual reality will help citizens visualize and experience the City’s upcoming development plans and allow City officials to gain direct and objective feedback from residents. 

Through NRVR, residents can visualize 360-degree views of nearly three million square feet of proposed developments in the City. The first project featured on NRVR.com is The LINC- a new, open public space proposed for Memorial Highway that will connect the Lincoln Avenue Corridor neighborhood to much-needed services in Downtown New Rochelle. A new Phase 1 Survey is now open, soliciting additional feedback from residents about the LINC project site and boundaries. This new survey is a follow up to the baseline survey launched last fall to create baseline data to be measured throughout the project timeline. Surveys will continue to be ongoing throughout the redevelopment process to help establish a direct and regular dialogue with residents, businesses and other community stakeholders.  The LINC project is part of the $10 million award through the 2018 New York State Governor’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative. 

The immersive virtual reality experience can be accessed through smart phones, the NRVR website and on mobile kiosks that will be positioned at City events throughout the year. The public will also be able to experience the VR platform in the new NRVR space at the New Rochelle train station.

"The LINC is a truly transformative project, one of the most significant in New Rochelle's modern history, and we need active public engagement to get it right. Through this new virtual reality tool, our community is invited as never before to help design New Rochelle's future, while also establishing a collaborative, engaging, fun process that can be used for other developments going forward," said New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson. 

The City of New Rochelle and its partner, Crafted Creative, created the NRVR platform to visualize plans and renderings for new buildings and public spaces through a $1 million award from the 2018 Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge, a competition challenging city leaders to think big and develop innovative ideas that tackle today’s toughest problems. 

The use of virtual reality is also part of the City’s technology agenda to create a fully connected and integrated smart city, including the creation of public space for artists and entrepreneurs along with the City’s implementation of an on-demand free, electric shuttle service for residents and neighbors to use. 

For more information on New Rochelle, the upcoming developments and other important resources, visit www.newrochelleny.com and www.ideallynewrochelle.com.