Research Park Bill Introduced as Numbers Continue to Grow

Over the last few months, several research parks across the country have announced formal openings, expansions, first tenants and new developments – all with the same general goal in mind. While many of these parks are merely real estate developments, research parks often are constructed around universities and laboratories and are designed to house tenants that will utilize the resources and create new jobs and spin-offs.

 

As the number of research parks continues to increase, legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate, S. 1373, on May 11 by Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) and cosponsored by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME). The “Building A Stronger America Act,” if passed in its current form, would authorize $7.5 million in federal grant funding for feasibility studies and up to $50 million in loan guarantees for science and research park construction and expansion.

 

While touting the importance of research and science parks, S. 1373, as written, does not relate potential projects in any way to a university or regional innovation strategy, leaving the program open to speculative or competing developments that conflict with the ongoing TBED efforts of the affected community, critics note.

 

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for consideration.

 

Recent examples of how science and research parks are already enjoying a period of growth include:

 

The Gateway University Research Park, a joint collaboration between North Carolina A&T State University and the University of North Carolina Greensboro, broke ground last month. The research park is expected to bridge the universities’ research efforts.

 

Old Dominion University announced the formal opening of the first office building in the campus’ Innovation Research @ODU. The park is a public-private partnership designed to merge university intellectual capital, faculty and students with private-sector companies to pursue research, technology development and business creation opportunities. The building is equipped with the infrastructure to support wet labs for biomedical, biochemical and oceanographic research. ODU plans to add at least three more buildings of similar size to the research park.

 

Construction of a new 50,000-square-foot National Science Formulation Laboratory located at the Southern Miss Innovation and Commercialization Park is expected to begin this summer. The laboratory - the first building to be constructed in the park - will contain state-of-the-art lab equipment and instrumentation. It is designed to support throughput formulation and formulation science for addressing issues in marine composites, coatings and smart films and is a key actor in the I-59 Technology Corridor concept. The research park was constructed in 2006 and is funded through a combination of local, state and federal funding.

 

Oklahoma Technology and Research Park (OTRP) is expanding with a new 46,000-square-foot multi-tenant office and lab building named Venture II. The building will be designed specifically to enhance private company research collaborations with Oklahoma State University. It will be housed across from Venture I, the first multi-tenant building. OTRP’s Joint Board also recently announced planned construction of a 24,000-square-foot business accelerator building to be funded by the state.

 

Stennis Technology Park welcomed its first tenant last month in a new 30,000-square-foot building. The park is designed to attract technology companies and other businesses with links to Stennis Space Center. The first tenant, NVision Solutions, works on geospatial technology integration. Construction on the building was started before Hurricane Katrina but was destroyed after the storm. Officials expect to begin construction on another 30,000-square-foot building and a 10,000-square-foot building soon. 

 

A research and technology park in South Bend, Ind., is expected to open later this year. Innovation Park @ Notre Dame will be built on land owned by Notre Dame University, although it is not strictly a university project. Tenants are expected to include researchers from area colleges, hospitals, start-up companies having high-tech business ideas in mind, firms providing support for researchers and start-ups, and other businesses.

 

A new private sector science and technology park in Flagstaff is scheduled to break ground in spring 2008. The City of Flagstaff has entered into an agreement with private developers to build a 200,000-square-foot research center to house office, biotechnology and research space.

 

The Bethlehem Town Board recently approved a final environmental impact statement for a 400-acre technology park in Bethlehem, N.Y. The Vista Technology Park received an initial $1 million pledge from the Albany County Legislature nearly four years ago to help develop the project. The site is expected to house 20-30 buildings with a mix of high-tech businesses and retail development. Pending further approval by the planning board for land use, the tech park is scheduled to break ground by the end of 2008.

 

U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) announced in April a $1.2 million federal Economic Development Administration grant to help fund the Oak Ridge Science and Technology Park. The first 12 acres of the 40-acre park is expected to be finished next year. The park will be managed by CROET, a nonprofit economic development group charged with finding new uses for Department of Energy land and buildings.

 

More information on the important role of university research and science parks is available from AURP, the international trade association representing the industry at http://www.aurp.net.