Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release #05-69
City Selects Cemusa for Street Furniture Negotiations Over One Billion Dollars in Revenue Expected
The New York City Department of Transportation today announced that it will begin contract negotiations with Cemusa, an outdoor advertising/street furniture company. Under the franchise agreement Cemusa will be responsible for the installation, maintenance and operation of street furniture for 20 years and the company will pay the City over one billion dollars in exchange for the right to sell advertising space on the structures.
Cemusa currently delivers a range of municipal services to Miami, San Antonio and Boston as well as 110 cities throughout Europe and North and South America. At no charge to the City, Cemusa will provide approximately 3,300 new bus stop shelters, 330 new newsstands and up to 20 automatic public toilets. Cemusa expects to create over 100 new jobs in New York City and has committed to using local vendors for the fabrication and installation of the project. The franchise structures are designed by the world renowned architecture firm of Nicholas Grimshaw & Associates, the same firm that designed the Fulton Street Transit Center in Lower Manhattan. The new street furniture's distinctive design will enhance and enliven the streetscape while standing up to the rigors of sidewalk life in New York City.
The announcement comes after an intensive evaluation of the proposals by a selection committee made up of representatives from the New York City Departments of Transportation, City Planning, Consumer Affairs, Parks and Recreation, Design and Construction, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Each proposal included detailed technical plans, financial information and scale models and drawings. The evaluation period lasted 10 months and included extensive interviews with each bidding company. The negotiations with Cemusa are the next step in the process, and while DOT anticipates discussions will go smoothly, failure to successfully negotiate may result in an invitation to negotiate to another proposer.
"This partnership for street furniture will provide New Yorkers with improved streetscapes and public services, while bringing in an enormous amount of revenue to the City," said DOT Commissioner Iris Weinshall. "Today's announcement represents a great achievement for our City, one that will add to the character and vitality of our streets for years to come."
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Contact: Kay Sarlin (212) 442-7033
Chris Gilbride