By Joe Anuta
President
Donald Trump is pushing ahead with his plans to construct an
impenetrable border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Hundreds of
companies across the country have expressed interest in helping him,
lured at least in part by an estimated budget of more than $20 billion.
But despite the potential windfall, only 11 New York–based firms have so
far been attracted to the job.
They are
contractors, architects and little-known small businesses from
Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, and their plans range from political
statements to high-tech virtual defense barriers. Crain's spoke
to four of them. Others declined to comment, did not provide coherent
proposal information or did not respond, perhaps sensing that, in New
York at least, even mere talk of being part of Trump's wall ambitions
comes with risks of its own.
Local
elected officials have denounced the wall, saying it runs counter to New
York's legacy as a city of immigrants. One lawmaker has even penned
legislation to penalize companies that participate in the barrier's
creation. Yet despite the risk of alienating politicians—many of whom
can influence which firms land municipal projects—the applicants from
the city remain undeterred.
"I see this
as a business opportunity, and I'd be foolish to dismiss it for
political reasons, whether I agree with it or not," said Matthew Orent,
chief operating officer at EIA, a tech-focused engineering and
construction company in Long Island City that provides security for
airports, seaports, transit authorities and energy companies.
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Source: Crain's New York Business (via The Empire Report)
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