Silverstein Properties, the firm behind New York’s World Trade Center redevelopment, plans to open a new 30-person research and development (R&D) center in downtown Montreal, with the goal of transforming its tenant management into a complete service platform.
Posted at 4:00 p.m.
The news was made public during the visit of the mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, to New York.
The exact location of the new center is expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
A world-class owner and manager, Silverstein manages four million square meters of hotel, commercial and residential properties and retail properties that it has developed. It was this company that rebuilt the World Trade Center site after the attacks of September 11, 2001.
Inspire Labs, part of its Silvertech technology division, already has a presence in the United States, Ukraine and Israel. “My group’s mandate is to source real estate-related products to somehow serve the tenants in our portfolio or any other businesses outside of our portfolio,” The Press Noam Weisman, Vice President, Client Products, at Silverstein Properties. »
We were looking for the most logical next step for us, since we have ambitious development plans and wonderful products in the pipeline. We were looking for a place where we could grow significantly.
Noam Weisman, Vice President, Client Products, at Silverstein Properties
“The fact that Montreal is in the same time zone, that English is one of the languages spoken there, that the population is highly educated and that there are many graduates in technology, not to mention the government tax credit programs, which are very generous and attractive to us, all make this city the perfect place for us. »
The Montreal cell will first work on two products in particular. She will be responsible for the transformation of the application Inspired, for managing relationships with the company’s 50,000 tenants, into a complete digital service. The second product, called RTSPis in tune with the times since it is aimed at companies looking to find a workplace for their employees working remotely or who are on a business trip.
Reached by telephone during his trip to New York, the CEO of Montreal International, an organization whose mission is to stimulate foreign direct investment, was obviously delighted with the news.
“When an actor who enjoys such a good reputation and who has the means to go wherever he wants in the world says: ‘I’ve done my research and I’m settling in Montreal,’ says Stéphane Paquet , it sends the message to other players that something is happening in Montreal and that it is a market that we must absolutely consider when we have an investment project like this, in the software sector or in another domain. »