Multi-million Tech Park at UConn gets Legislative approval

Rep. Haddad - pictured here announcing Legislative approval to fund a Tech Park at UConn - and Sen. Williams predict that the $170 million project will create thousands of high-quality jobs and generate tens of millions of dollars in federal and private funding. Courtesy photo.

State Rep. Gregory Haddad (D-Mansfield, Chaplin), who serves as Vice-chair of the Legislature’s Commerce Committee, and Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) announced Monday, June 6 that the General Assembly has approved legislation that will fund a research and technology park at the University of Connecticut’s main campus in Storrs.

Rep. Haddad and Sen. Williams predict that the $170 million project will create thousands of high-quality jobs and generate tens of millions of dollars in federal and private funding.

“The long-talked-about research park at UConn is now set to become a reality,” said Rep. Haddad. “This bill provides resources required to build an Innovation Partnership Building to anchor the effort.”

“On top of the important mission of encouraging collaborative efforts between the university and hi-tech businesses, there will be the potential for hundreds of new jobs for eastern Connecticut residents,” Haddad said.

“Concerns over Mansfield’s long-term water needs may also be met with resources that will allow for the development of safe new water sources,” he added.

The project, first discussed more than 20 years ago, calls for construction of a 125,000 square-foot multi-story building to house primarily 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.

“This is the job-generating plan that Eastern Connecticut has been waiting for,” said Sen. Williams. “This research and technology park will create thousands of high-quality jobs and ensure that Eastern Connecticut is an integral part of Connecticut’s emerging research triangle spanning Farmington, New Haven, and Storrs. We couldn’t move this project forward without the support of the Malloy administration and local community leaders, all of whom understand the incredible potential for Connecticut’s families and businesses.”

The concept for the UConn tech-park longterm includes multiple buildings, many of which could be privately funded. The complex is to be located in the North Campus and completed within four years.

Completion of the North Campus Road will allow the development of up to 1.4 million square feet of research, technology and academic space, consistent with the University’s long-range Master Plan.

The project also includes completion of a road to the site, to be funded primarily by federal and “UConn 2000″ (state) resources.

It will create a 4,000-foot, two-lane road that will  accommodate all utilities underground.

Also connected to the project is the new ‘Innovation Partners Eminent Faculty Program,’ which seeks to attract some the nation’s top scholars and scientists and to leverage millions of dollars in federal and private investment.

Posted June 7, 2011

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