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CONTACT:	Colleen Roche / Cecily Traynor 212-575-4545 Linden Alschuler & Kaplan, Public Relations.

	Wall Street Rising's New Downtown Information Center Opens
	Boasts Lower Manhattan's Most Comprehensive Database
	New York City (Sept. 4, 2003) Wall Street Rising today opened the doors to its new one-of-a-kind Downtown Information Center , a technologically advanced, mini-chamber of commerce that will serve as the most comprehensive one-stop shopping resource for information about Lower Manhattan.
	The showpiece of the 1,800 square-foot, $2 million Center – a 12-foot tall, 3D model of Lower Manhattan -- was unveiled today at a press conference by Wall Street Rising President and Founder Julie Menin, along with New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, New York State Senators David A. Paterson and Martin Connor, City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, Councilmembers Alan Gerson and Gale Brewer, and Kevin Rampe, President of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.
	A vital destination for visitors, local area workers, residents and current or prospective business owners, the Wall Street Rising Downtown Information Center contains the most complete and up-to-date database available anywhere about Lower Manhattan. The Center's resources will list every Downtown restaurant, retail store, and apartment building, as well as data about vacant retail space, neighborhood happenings, significant openings, construction projects, traffic pattern changes, points of interest, parks, schools, things-to-do, cultural programs and grant programs. A custom-built GIS mapping system will allow users to do complex searches, for instance locating a Japanese restaurant within a three-block radius of 25 Broad that delivers, or finding banks south of Chamber Street that are open on weekends.
	Expert Wall Street Rising staff and local community volunteers will manage the Center, which was designed, pro bono, by the Rockwell Group and Fred Schwarz Architects . It will be a home for diverse evening and weekend programs and events such as historical lectures, wine and food tastings, book readings, business seminars, movie nights and family storytelling hours.
	Ms. Menin said, “The work that will be done here in this Information Center is at the core of our mission to restore the vibrancy and vitality of Downtown Manhattan and is critical to our future as a true 24/7 community. Within these walls, we will continue the work of Wall Street Rising, and promote this historic community as a great place to live, work and visit.
	“I would also like to thank Speaker Gifford Miller and Councilman Alan Gerson for their generous $650,000 grant; Merrill Lynch, one of our earliest backers, whose $500,000 contribution helped the Center get off the ground; and Senator Paterson for providing $10,000 in funding,” added Ms. Menin.
	Highlights of the new Center include: • A 12-foot tall, 3D model of Lower Manhattan constructed of painted Plexiglas and backlit to highlight major points of interest • Computer kiosks with access to the custom-built Wall Street Rising database • Plasma screens providing updated information on concerts, museums, events, and openings of new stores and restaurants, as well as advertising opportunities for local businesses • A digital community bulletin board offering up-to-the-minute information on such things as the River to River Festival, music at Castle Clinton and other community events, restaurant openings, specials and promotions
	"This new center will be an important tool in promoting Lower Manhattan and our many attractions," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. "By providing a central location for residents, workers and visitors to find places to eat and shop, as well as information on planned concerts, museum exhibits and other events taking place in our community, we are moving ahead to a bright and exciting future for Downtown."
	“The ability to convey up-to-date and reliable information is vital to the downtown revitalization effort,” said Senator Paterson. “The Center is an intriguing and valuable resource for residents, business owners and tourists—improving the quality of life for all.”
	“I am wholeheartedly committed to the success of this Downtown Information Center and I want to applaud the efforts of Wall Street Rising to achieve this goal,” said Speaker Miller. “In the coming years, Lower Manhattan will experience change and redevelopment on a scale that we have not seen before. The creation of a Downtown Information Center , which will serve as a one-stop shop for residents, businesses and tourists, is an indispensable asset in making sure that Lower Manhattan 's redevelopment is a successful and enduring one.”
	"I am delighted that the Downtown Information Center has opened its doors in my district. Wall Street Rising is a powerful force for economic growth and revitalization in Lower Manhattan and this Information Center will help our local businesses survive and thrive," said City Councilmember Alan Gerson.
	Ms. Menin stressed that the Center became a reality only with the generous support of a diverse group of New York institutions whose combined pro bono contributions topped $1 million: the Info Center's graphics were provided by Pentagram; Deloitte Consulting designed the Center's technology integration; the New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications provided major in-kind contributions of services and equipment; and AWAD Architectural Models provided its master map-making services at a greatly discounted rate.
	Other sponsors include American Express Foundation, Lehman Brothers, The Hugh Carey Battery Park City Authority, Endeca, Swig Burris Equities, Circle Line Ferry, Duggal Visual Solutions, Epstein, Becker and Green, and the Litwin Foundation.
	The Wall Street Rising Downtown Information Center is located on the ground floor of 25 Broad Street (at Exchange Place ). The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. , and Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. All services are free of charge. The general information phone number for the Downtown Information Center is (212) 425-INFO and its website is www.downtowninfocenter.org .
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