University Tech Parks in the News

Illinois 

The March 7 Chicago Tribune reported that the new 840-acre DuPage County Technology Park has hired its first executive director. Jack Tenison, deputy administrator for county government in Dupage, will start the position April 1 and will work to link development of the property with the nearby Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Argonne National Lab, the area universities, and the adjacent airport. The Trib says a $34 million state grant will pay for planning and preliminary construction of the park. 



Indiana 

The Purdue Research Foundation is planning to build a technology center with the hopes of attracting high-tech companies. The Northwest Indiana Technology Center will be built on 400 acres the university purchased in 1998 and will serve as an incubator, providing office space, phone systems and computer equipment. In addition, the center will be modeled after the 600-acre Purdue Research Park located near the university's West Lafayette campus. 



Mississippi 

Mississippi State University's Engineering Research Center continues to graduate engineers and scientists and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs. The 220-acre research and technology center opened in 1990 with grants from the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation; in 1999, the center gave way to a branch at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County. SemiSouth, a producer of computer chips made of silicon carbide, was born last year from the center and soon expects to have its own building. 



North Carolina 

Duke Energy announced it will invest $10 million in the Charlotte Institute of Technology Innovation as part of UNC Charlotte's $100 million fundraising campaign. The investment is the largest made by the The Duke Energy Foundation and, combined with the company's other commitments, represents the largest ever received by UNC Charlotte. The money will used to establish a fund to support the initiatives of the Charlotte Institute. 



Pennsylvania 

Gov. Mark Schweiker has distributed $13.6 million to help build a 100,000-square-foot science and technology center at East Stroudsburg University. With research labs, classrooms, a planetarium, a rooftop observatory and weather station, a 200-seat lecture hall and other facilities, the estimated $26 million center will seek to provide companies high-tech training and promote economic development. New degree programs in such fields as biotechnology and chemical biotechnology will be offered at the center. 



Washington 

The concept of the University of Washington developing a 100-acre research park on property it owns in Snohomish County, north of Seattle, was the focus of a two-day workshop this week. The session included tours of two other potential sites, discussion of financing options and case studies of successful research parks from around the country. 



West Virginia 

An amended bill passed unanimously by the West Virginia Senate on Wednesday would allow a research park to be developed near West Virginia University's medical center campus in Morgantown. Providing that WVU may exchange property with Monongalia General Hospital, the bill would allow the transfer of property from any West Virginia colleges and universities to private corporations for development of research parks. Land would revert back to the state if not used for the intended purposes of tech-based economic development.