Event Location
This year 4th CI Symposium will be held in at Cornell Tech, the Digital Life Initiative (DLI) on Roosevelt Island in New York City.
Cornell Tech is a brand-new extension campus of Cornell University and now stands as one of the greatest concentrations of computer engineering research and education in NYC. It is located on Roosevelt Island, adjacent to Manhattan, which gives it a unique balance of accessibility and tranquility. It has access to all Manhattan has to offer without having to deal with many of the downsides of being in a major city.
There are many options for hotels and ways to travel to Cornell Tech. The Graduate Hotel is directly attached to the conference venue and has reasonable rates for NYC standards. In addition, you could reach the island within 30 minutes from most hotels in NYC. It is accessible from the F train line, by car from the Queens side, or by tram from the Manhattan side. Below we give detailed recommendations for travel to NYC and Cornell Tech, and for hotel accommodations.
Accommodations
There are hundreds of hotels in New York City, and in general they can be relatively expensive. A typical hotel room should be expected to be at least $100 a night (with fees and taxes), while most reasonable rooms will be in the range $150-250 a night. Roosevelt Island has only one hotel, the brand-new Graduate Hotel, which is attached directly to the conference venue.
We highly recommend this hotel although since its prices are moderate, we also give suggestions for hotels in Midtown and Long Island City / Dutch Kills.
Long Island City / Dutch Kills has many reasonable hotels within a short walk to the F train to Cornell Tech. Dutch Kills has the only bridge connecting to Roosevelt Island, which makes traveling to Cornell Tech with car services very convenient. This area has seen exceptional growth in the last decade, so while many hotels are modern, the surrounding area is still developing. It is generally safe, but we recommend using car services after dark and particularly avoiding the Queensbridge Station area at night.
For Manhattan hotels, we recommend staying close to the Midtown F line stations for easiest access to Cornell Tech. These most convenient areas here are Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and Herald Square. Below we list a few hotels in each area.
| Area | Hotel | Notes | Average Rate | Travel Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt Island | Graduate Hotel | Only hotel on Roosevelt Island, amazing views of Manhattan | 250-300 | Instant |
| Manhattan | Carvi Hotel | 10 min walk to Tram, scenic travel to Roosevelt | 180-240 | 25-35 mins |
| Hotel 46 Times Square | 4 min walk to F train | 160-200 | 15-25 mins | |
| Courtyard by Marriott New York Manhattan/Times Square | Directly on Bryant, Park, 2 min walk to F train | 280-340 | 15-25 mins | |
| Long Island City / Dutch Kills | Lotus Blu Inn and Suites | Affordable hotel in Dutch Kills | 80-100 | 15-25 mins |
| La Quinta Inn and Suites | Closest hotel to drive to Roosevelt Island | 100-150 | 15-25 mins |
Other hotel options
| Hotel | Address |
|---|---|
| Affinia Gardens | 215 E. 64th Street |
| Affinia Shelburne | 551 Fifth Avenue |
| The Algonquin Hotel - Marriott Autograph Collection | 59 W. 44th Street |
| Avalon Hotel | 16 E. 32nd Street |
| Club Quarters | Midtown, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central, Wall Street, or World Trade Center |
| Courtyard New Manhattan/Midtown East | 866 3rd Avenue |
| Courtyard Manhattan Times Square | 114 West 40th Street |
| Courtyard New York Manhattan/Upper East Side | 410 E. 92nd Street |
| Hilton Garden Inn | 121 West 28th Street |
| Iberostar 70 Park Avenue Hotel | 40 E. 34th Street, Suite 606 |
| Renaissance Hotel 57 | 130 E. 57th Street |
| Residence Inn Manhattan Times Square | 1033 Avenue of the Americas |
| The Roosevelt Hotel New York City | 45 E. 45th Street |
| Wyndham New Yorker | 481 8th Avenue |
Getting to Cornell Tech
Travel to NYC
By Flight
The nearest airports to Cornell Tech are LaGuardia Airport (LGA), JFK Airport (JFK), and Newark Airport (EWR). In general, LaGuardia and JFK are the simplest options with easy public transit to most parts of NYC. Newark is farther and less convenient. Given many of the airports are under expansion and renovation, you should always consult navigation apps (e.g., Bing Maps) for real-time updates.
From LaGuardia:
- Car Services: 25-40 mins depending on the traffic
- Public Transit: LaGuardia Link (Q70-SBS) to Roosevelt Av/74 St station, then F Train to Cornell Tech or Manhattan
From JFK:
- Car Services: 40-60 mins depending on the traffic
- Transit: JFK AirTrain to Jamaica Station, then E Train to Manhattan or Train E and Train F to Cornell Tech
From Newark:
- Car Services: 60-80 mins depending on the traffic
- Public Transit: Newark Airport Express towards Manhattan
By Bus
Bussing is often the most convenient and economical way to travel into NYC from other cities in the Northeast. Buses are more convenient because they can end closer into the city and with all considered, they are often just as fast as flying from nearby cities.
By Car
Generally, traveling by car will be more expensive and less convenient than flying or bussing. If you travel by car, we generally recommend you park and stay in Queens, since Manhattan driving and parking can be expensive.
Cab/Lyft
Even though your ultimate destination will be 2 West Loop Road, when catching a cab or Lyft, we recommend you enter/use this address: 1 East Loop Rd, New York, NY 10044.
Given that vehicular access to Roosevelt Island is only from Queens, the journey can take up to 55-mins.
Travel to Cornell Tech
The most convenient way to get to Cornell Tech is public transit, walking, or car services. Cornell Tech is a few minutes walk from the F Train and the Tram station, and cars can drive directly to the Verizon center from the Queens side. Besides staying on Roosevelt Island itself, the two most convenient areas to stay in are Midtown Manhattan and Long Island City / Dutch Kills.
From Midtown:
- Tram: the Roosevelt Island Tram (aerial tramway) is a fun way of traveling to the Island and doubles as a tourist attraction with sights of the Upper East Side and East River
- F Train: the F train is the only subway line servicing Roosevelt Island and Cornell Tech
From Long Island City / Dutch Kills:
- F Train / Public Bus: the train and bus services from Long Island City are the main ways to get to Cornell Tech
- Car Services: the bridge leading to Roosevelt Island is in Dutch Kills so car services are fast and cheap
Parking
- There are limited parking spots at Cornell Tech under the Tata Innovation Center and in the surrounding area on the streets with metered parking
- More parking are available north of the campus at Motorgate Parking Garage (15 min walk to campus) with the current rate of $24 / day