Google not only wants to see Madison Avenue "get bigger" but also wants to be a key catalyst for that growth, combining Silicon Valley with Mad Ave, according to a Google Exec speaking at the official opening of Google's new digs in Manhattan.

Tim Armstrong, Google's VP of ad sales, wants to see the creation of "the largest marketing platform in the world," MediaPost quotes him as saying at the opening of Google's expansive offices in Chelsea. New York is key to Google's long-term growth, Armstrong added, saying the company has become "a large advertising company." Google's new location also houses ad agency Deutsch, the Los Angeles office of which already has a working relationship with Google.

The new facility houses a host of engineers, product managers and UI testers - and serves as a base of operations for "several hundred" Google ad sales staffers, writes ClickZ. It will also host some of the 100 or so New York advertiser training sessions it conducts annually.

Google's first attempt at wooing traditional brand marketers in New York, in 2000, was met with less than enthusiasm, and its recent disappointing attempts related to print media indicate it won't have an easy time moving beyond search advertising.