Grant helps Innovation Campus begin expansion
A $2.5 million grant awarded to Utah State University by the U.S. Department of Commerce will assist with expansion of the Innovation Campus in North Logan.
USU plans to expand the Innovation Campus from it’s current 450,000 square feet to 4,250,000 square feet, which would be almost the size of the main campus, and will create 5,000 to 8,000 new jobs, according to a press release from the USU Public Relations Department.
“President Bush and I strongly support the innovative research and development that takes places at our nation’s colleges and universities,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans in regards to the grant issued to USU. “The Department of Commerce is pleased to partner with Utah State to improve the business climate and standard of living in Cache Valley.”
In 1986, when the Economic Development Administration (EDA) in the U.S. Department of Commerce gave USU $265,000 to help fund the Innovation Campus, it was projected the campus would house about 30 companies and between 500 to 1,000 employees. By 2004 there were more than 50 companies and nearly 2,000 employees, said Teresa McKnight, manager of the Innovation Campus.
“We exceeded projections,” McKnight said. “Because of our success they knew they needed to invest.”
The largest portion of the $2.5 million grant issued by the EDA will be used for the construction of the Grand Avenue that will connect the current Innovation Campus with the expanded campus, said Michael Brooks, director of the Innovation Campus. In addition to the Grand Avenue, a portion of the grant will be used for the infrastructure of the buildings such as water, sewer and other utilities.
With the expansion of the campus, more internships and some part-time jobs will be created for USU students, Brooks said.
“But more importantly, we are in discussion with multiple companies that will provide jobs to USU graduates,” Brooks said. “The state of Utah has to face the issue of providing jobs to their graduates. We need to keep our graduates instate.”
Although there are various factors influencing the economy, Brooks said, with the success of the expansion of the Innovation Campus, it could provide better jobs and have an impact on the economy of Cache Valley.
At the present time there are no classes held on the Innovation Campus. It serves as a research park for primarily developing companies of 15 employees or fewer with some larger companies such as Convergys and the Space Dynamics labs, Brooks said.
However, that may change with new buildings being constructed and space to fill, McKnight said. Some departments may begin to have classes and labs located on the new expansion of the Innovation Campus.
McKnight said obtaining the grant has been a two-year process requiring onsite visits from EDA regional representatives, various engineers, environmental groups and waiting for the Department of Commerce to invite USU to submit a final proposal.
The Innovation Campus received national recognition in May of 2004. With more than 1,000 people in attendance from colleges across the nation, it was awarded the Excellence in Rural Economic Development.
-cmoffitt@cc.usu.edu