BY BILL PARRY
It is easy to get lost or confused while navigating the
streets of the nation’s fastest growing neighborhood, but
now the Long Island City Partnership is launching LIC
Local, a new free mobile site and smart signage cam-paign
that uses QR-Code technology as a wayfinding tool.
One hundred “smart signs” designed by Entro and
fabricated by Boyce Technologies, have been deployed
at strategic locations throughout the neighborhood which
connect to the wayfinding web app.
“Long Island City has the best of the city, from world
class museums and parks to Michelin star restaurants
and a diverse mix of local businesses, and yet these
cherished spots are also some of our best kept secrets,”
LIC Partnership President Elizabeth Lusskin said. “We are
excited to help put our shops, institutions and events on
one map with LIC Local to make everything our community
has to offer easier to find. Whether someone is a longtime
resident or it’s their first time here, there’s so much to do
— gallery openings, live music, indoor rock climbing, tennis,
and many delicious food and drink establishments — and
LIC Local will make it easier and more fun to experience.”
LIC Local pinpoints the smart signage and all featured
locations using exact geographic coordinates to help
Navigating
pedestrians both orient themselves, find local amenities
and events, and reach their destination. The web app was
developed by LICP in partnership with local tech startup
Citiesense and design firm ThoughtMatter.
12 DECEMBER 2019 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com
“Working with the Partnership to launch this smart
sign pilot has been an exciting exploration of our platform’s
capabilities,” Citiesense CEO Starling Childs said. “As we
continue to test out different approaches to improving ac-cess
to local information with the LIC business community,
we will be able to expand on our platform’s features to
strengthen the value we are already providing through this
unique tool kit for accessing local community-based data.”
Using the camera on a smartphone, one can scan or
code one of the LIC Local signs around the neighborhood
and, based on the geo-targeted location, search for events
to check out, find a specific business, or browse the map
of everything available within walking distance and learn
where special deals are available to LIC perks members.
“Today, as we live more and more of our daily lives
online, communities can capture enormous value by
creating and designing tools that encourage people to
search local,” ThoughtMatter Managing Director Jessie
McGuire said. “The LIC Local project was a collaborative
effort from the very beginning. From a home page that
provides you with different entry points to the map, to
LIC
the color coding of the different categories you can filter
through, ThoughtMatter knew it was important that the
end result was not only a useful tool to help you explore
the neighborhood, but really to connect you to everything
that makes Long Island City Long Island City.”
Initial funding for the project came from the city’s
Department of Small Business Services as part of the
Neighborhood Innovation Grant competition in 2017.
“LIC Local is a great example of what happens when
the city brings together technology and local partners to
make our neighborhoods vibrant,” SBS Commissioner
Gregg Bishop said. “With support from SBS’s Neighbor-hood
Challenge award, the LIC Partnership has built a
fantastic tool to boost small businesses in the area, and
highlight all that Long Island City has to offer.”
Additional funding came from City Councilman Jimmy
Van Bramer and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.
“Long Island City is home to a wide array of restau-rants,
remarkable stores, compelling events and charming
attractions,” Katz said. “LIC Local will employ cutting-edge
technology to make it easier for residents and visitors
alike to find all the great things Long Island City has to
offer. It was a privilege to help fund the development of
LIC Local, which will make the richness of Long Island
City more accessible to all.”
What’s New
Long Island City Partnership launches online
wayfinding tool to get around the neighborhood
Courtesy of Hunters Point Parks Conservancy
Long Island City
is booming, but
its streets can
be confusing.
Now the LIC
Partnership and
several local
tech startups
have launched
a cutting-edge
wayfinding tool
known as LIC
Local
/www.qns.com
/www.qns.com
