USU Innovation Campus holds groundbreaking

The Utah State University Innovation Campus will hold a groundbreaking ceremony to announce the Grand Avenue construction Monday, June 13, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. The ceremony takes place on Innovation Campus at 1600 N. 600 East in North Logan.

“The Grand Avenue will be a beautiful gateway that connects the current campus to the new expansion,” said Teresa McKnight, manager of Innovation Campus.

In January the university received a $2.5 million dollar grant from the Economic Development Administration of theU.S. Department of Commerce to further develop Innovation Campus along the Grand Avenue at approximately 1600 North and in between 600 and 800 East in North Logan.

“The grant has a significant economic impact on the future development of the Innovation Campus,” said M. K. Jeppesen, USU’s interim vice president for Information Technology and chief information officer and former acting director of Innovation Campus. “Projections for the next 20 years have identified an additional 5,000 to 8,000 jobs, with an increase in total building space growing from the current 450,000 square feet to approximately 4,250,000 square feet.”

With the funding in place, Innovation Campus Director Mike Brooks said the research campus can implement building plans on Grand Avenue. Innovation Campus is home to more than 50 research and development companies, USU department units and government agencies.

R.S.V.P for the groundbreaking by calling Adell Simmons with the Innovation Campus, (435) 797-9610. For more information on Utah State’s Innovation Campus visit www.usu.edu/innovation campus, or contact McKnight at (435) 797-9606.