Cisco Systems and the city of Holyoke, Massachusetts announced Wednesday an urban renewal strategy built on an Internet-based, connected community model intended to fuse vital parts of the city’s government and economy. The proof-of-concept, technology-infused renewal program is the latest investment by Cisco to turn Holyoke into a hub of innovation for the western half of Massachusetts and the region.
Last fall, Cisco was among a host of city officials, academics and tech industry leaders to announce the development and planning of a Green High Performance Computing Center (GHPCC) in Holyoke. The public-private partnership was designed to show how an industrial-based economy could be driven by green technology, clean energy and scientific development.
The latest announcement will position Holyoke as the first Smart+Connected Community in the United States, creating a flagship innovation district downtown. The Smart+Connected Community model seeks to improve education, healthcare and streamline collaboration among city, state and regional officials with their citizens. The modernization project seeks to generate economic activity and bolster population retention through redevelopment that can be eventually rolled out to other parts of the city’s neighborhoods, officials said.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Holyoke, Mass. gets networked in proof-of-concept project
Author: CivSource
