August 25, 2011
REP. HADDAD JOINS GOV. MALLOY AT UCONN TO PROMOTE NEW TECH PARK
“Research Triangle” project will create hundreds of jobs, leverage federal funds
State Representative Gregory Haddad (D-Mansfield, Chaplin), Vice-chair of the legislature’s Commerce Committee, joined Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Senate President Donald E. Williams (D-Brooklyn) and other state officials on the campus of the University of Connecticut Thursday as the governor ceremonially signed legislation approving the creation of a world-class technology park at UConn. It was also announced that the State Bond Commission is slated to approve $18 million in required start-up funding when it meets on Friday.
University officials estimate that during design and construction of the project more than 860 jobs will be created, including construction workers, architects and engineers. Once completed, it is anticipated the Tech Park will attract hundreds of permanent high-quality jobs, encourage new business growth through high-tech innovations and generate tens of millions of dollars in federal and private funding for advancing research.
“With the state investment made in UConn 2000 and in the Eminent Faculty Program, the university is more ready than ever before to attract additional private research funding,” said Rep. Haddad. “This Technology Partnership Building will bring Connecticut's hi-tech businesses together with the university's resources to help spur our economy. And Mansfield, with its developing downtown center and improved infrastructure is ready to host and capitalize on this increased activity as well.”
The initial $18 million investment includes:
“This is exciting endeavor for UConn – there’s no doubt about it,” said Governor Malloy. “But it’s also exciting for our state. We are not only building a technology park in Storrs, but we’re linking the work that will be done there to the Health Center in Farmington and to the work that’s being done in New Haven and elsewhere across the state – Connecticut’s own research triangle.”
The landmark project calls for initial construction of the Innovation Partnership Building, a 125,000 sq. ft., multi-story building composed primarily of large, flexible-use laboratories containing specialized equipment - not readily available to industry - for collaborative industry-university research. The building will also provide high-tech “clean rooms” and a bio-nanofabrication facility, business incubators, private space for use by individual companies, and office space.
“When it comes to net job growth over the last two decades, Connecticut has been treading water,” said Sen. Williams. “The creation of a research-triangle is exactly the type of investment we need to create high-quality jobs and sustained economic growth.”
The UConn Tech-Park will eventually include multiple buildings—many of which could be privately funded. The complex, to be located in UConn’s North Campus and completed within four years, will provide space for business incubators and individual companies. UConn’s Office of Technology Commercialization will work closely with researchers and industry representatives in helping bring breakthrough technologies to the commercial market.
“Building a Technology Park at UConn is an important next step that will help create jobs and promote Connecticut’s long-term economic growth,” said UConn President Susan Herbst. “UConn has a proud history of strong industry-university partnerships that support the state’s economy. Over the past 12 years, UConn has created 35 new companies, generated 226 patents and recruited world-class faculty with expertise in key industrial areas.”
Completion of North Hillside Road in Storrs will allow the development of up to 1 million square feet of research, technology and academic space, consistent with the university’s long-range Master Plan. Also connected to the project is a new Eminent Faculty Program, which seeks to attract some the nation’s top scholars and scientists to the Tech-Park. These scientists will work side-by-side with industry leaders and business entrepreneurs to explore innovative ideas that will lead to new product development and commercialization.