AlivePromo Integrates Digital Technology into Thurgood Marshall Building

The Thurgood Marshall Building in New York City is famous for its notorious trials. Since 1936, it has hosted high profile affairs including the Rosenberg trials and numerous terrorism trials which included the 1993 World Trade Center bombing case. Martha Stewart had the misfortune of having been convicted within the walls of the Cass Gilbert designed building. The courthouse recently underwent a complete gutting to bring it up to modern standards all while restoring it to its original classic revival design. AlivePromo was brought in as part of a final step to integrate new technology into a visitor centerpiece, the original bronze directory. The ornate bronze frame included an old style letter press directory concept that meant building staff would need to update it letter by letter. AlivePromo engineered a concept to have the letter press concept removed, be replaced with digital screens, but preserve the ornate bronze frame which was protected by architectural governance. It took months of going through possible designs. Concepts included a single large screen, a few screens and the eventual interactive multiscreen design. The final result includes six twenty-four inch LED screens and three twelve inch touch screens. All the screens fit well within the frame’s narrow mullion pattern which made using one large screen impossible. The technology did not exist until just recently that allowed the use of thin, narrow bezel, NEC LED backed LCD screens with wide angle viewing and portrait orientation capability. Federal court staff can update the directory using AlivePromo’s AlivePulse™ system, a web based content management system that allows for updating of directory content remotely. Going forward, the directory can be updated quickly to react to the busy and demanding schedules of the many judges and support staff within the historic Thurgood Marshall Federal Court House in lower Manhattan.