Winston-Salem Plans 10-fold Expansion of Biotech Research Park

North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley was recently joined by Congressional, university, and local and business representatives last week in announcing a 180-acre expansion of Piedmont Triad Research Park in downtown Winston-Salem. The biotech park will include a new research campus for Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Richard H. Dean, M.D., president and CEO of Wake Forest University Health Sciences (WFUHS), described the multimillion-dollar initiative as "a major commitment to transform our economy from one driven by manufacturing to one led by technology."

The park currently covers a five-block area and includes four multi-story buildings, more than 20 tenants, approximately 600 employees, and a total payroll approaching $25 million. The acreage of the proposed expansion is more than 10 times the size of the current park and would be in close proximity to both Winston-Salem State University and Salem College.

The expanded research park will be available for a variety of uses, including additional research centers — both academic and privately operated — technology start-up companies and small businesses, laboratory operations, retail businesses and restaurants.

Dean said that the medical school's new research campus will be used for fundamental and clinical research and eventually educational purposes. The school's Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and Physician Assistant Program already are located in the research park. Dean said the new research campus will serve as a magnet to draw other interests to the park.

A key piece of the real estate acquisition was a donation of 10 acres by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Research park master planners are studying the best possible use for the land and facilities. The initial site plan and usage assessment for the land is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2003.

More information is available at: http://www.ptrp.org/