Cemusa, a Madrid, Spain-based advertising company, has a 20-year, street-furniture contract with the NYC Dept. of Transportation to design, manufacture, install and maintain 330 newsstands, 3,300 bus shelters and 20 pay toilets, at no cost to the city. In exchange, Cemusa can sell advertising space on the structures within clearly defined limits.
Cemusa partnered with Grimshaw Architects (NYC, London and Melbourne) to create the structures, which are made from stainless steel and tempered glass to withstand the rigors of NYC sidewalks. As of August 29, according to a New York Times article, 97 newsstands, 1,538 bus shelters and one pay toilet had been installed.
Revenue from 6 x 10-ft. “billboards,” or advertising panels, on the back of the newsstand, will offset the design, fabrication and maintenance costs. Additional stands will be installed as new licenses are granted by the Dept. of Consumer Affairs.
New units are being given to 280 newsstand operators, free of charge, but new operators will pay Cemusa a one-time fee.
Cemusa will replace existing bus shelters and install 200 more by 2011. The city is exploring Bluetooth, LCD screens and real-time bus-arrival information for the shelters.