By natalie m. vena
OLD BRIDGE — Cyberdistrict — it sounds like a city right out of a Star Wars movie.
In reality, cyberdistricts exist throughout the country, and the governor intends to create cyberdistricts across the state.
The initiative, called the New Jersey Cyberdistricts Program, offers grants to municipalities and qualified not-for-profit developers to create and promote districts where high-technology companies will be encouraged to locate.
Gov. Christine Whitman’s fiscal year 2001 state budget included $2 million for this initiative.
Planning and marketing grants will enable municipalities to study the feasibility of creating cyberdistricts.
Last week, Himanshu Shah, the township’s finance director and chief financial officer, sent a request for these grants to the N.J. Department of Community Affairs and the N.J. Redevelopment Authority.
"Old Bridge is a prime location for cyberdistricts," Shah said. "The township is considering Exit 120 off the Garden State Parkway as a location for a cyberdistrict."
According to Shah, a high speed dataline has been installed on the parkway at Exit 120 and the town could tap into it.
"Cities can also transform themselves with high technology," said Whitman at the New Jersey State of the State address in January. "So let’s help New Jersey’s cities entice startup technology firms to set up shop there."
Whitman refers to cyberdistricts as technology hubs that help small companies tap into the high-speed connections and other advantages that towns can offer.
The township offers quick access to major roadways, and is a residential community that has a lot to offer, explained Shah.
"A lot of people with high profile jobs in New York City would love to work close to home," he added.
Having technology-based companies move into Old Bridge would help to improve commercial ratables as well.
"Depending on the size of the facility, technology companies could offer better ratables as opposed to a fast-food restaurant or a strip mall," Shah said.
Last month, the Planning Board gave the approval for the construction of Atrium II, a 200,000-square-foot business facility that will be located at parkway Exit 120. It will be constructed next to Atrium I, which is occupied by various businesses, noted Harvey Schultz, a Woodbridge-based broker for the applicant.
Globescan Corp., a telecommunications company located on Middletown Road, will be moving into Atrium II when it is completed.
The company will have access to the high speed dataline.
Cyberdistricts have been successfully established in cities across the nation.
In Lynn, Mass., a small Internet company refurbished a 100-year-old building in the downtown area. In the following two years, dozens of small Internet-based companies have settled there, according to an information packet provided by the state.
An Internet community, The Blacksburg Electronic Village located in Virginia, was created through joint initiatives with Virginia Tech, the town of Blacksburg and Bell Atlantic.
As of 1997, more than 60 percent of Blacksburg’s 36,000 residents were using the Internet on a regular basis and more than 250 local businesses were advertising online.
A total of 75 percent of the funding appropriated by the Legislature for the Cyberdistricts program will be reserved for use by any of the 68 municipalities eligible for assistance from the N.J. Redevelopment Authority.