NYC’s “LEED for broadband” will help companies pick tech-friendly office locations

New York City is already home to tech companies like Spotify, Tumblr and Birchbox, and, under Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R), the city has made a major push to attract more startups as well as large companies, like Yahoo and Facebook, that are headquartered on the West Coast.

NYC announced two more initiatives to further that goal. It’s officially launching a certification program called “WiredNYC,” first announced in 2012, that aims to be a “LEED for broadband” by making information about broadband infrastructure available to landlords and businesses. The aim is to help businesses gauge connectivity when deciding where they should lease or buy office space. And it’s making free public Wi-Fi available in ten new areas, including poor neighborhoods far from “Silicon Alley,” the tech hub in Manhattan’s Flatiron district.