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Blue Springs, MO —
A major milestone in Blue Springs has arrived.
After three years of accomplishment and set-back, the Mizzou Center, identified by officials as the anchor tenant for the proposed Missouri Innovation Park, is on its way to becoming a reality.
Construction is expected to begin in September 2012 and the center should be ready for occupancy in early 2014.
The announcement was made at the Blue Springs City Council meeting Monday. Present were city officials, members of the Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation and the University of Missouri.
“MU is a major economic driver for the state, and our commitment to bridge MU to the greater Kansas City area remains firm,” Brady Deaton, chancellor for MU, said before City Council and a packed house. “We are willing to do our part, just as the Blue Springs EDC continues to do their part – to grow and market the Missouri Innovation Park.”
The projected cost for the 80,000- to 90,000 square-foot facility, to be located on the 63 acres of the park fronting the Adams Dairy Parkway and Adams Pointe Golf Course, is about $13.9 million, according to Brien Starner, president of the EDC.
Monday night’s presentation preceded a formal signing of a letter of intent to proceed with the next phase in the project, which was first announced in December 2008. The public announcement also served as a means to put the word out that the city, the EDC and MU will begin the process of looking for a developer for the facility, which will house educational facilities, laboratories and business incubators meant to bridge the animal and life sciences.
The university already has a presence in the area. Located inside the Heartland Financial building, the smaller and more modest Mizzou Center has seen significant growth during the last 18 months of operation, including the addition of 13 master’s level courses; 177 students; six degree programs in current development; and 222 business clients who have participated in 628 counseling sessions.
Recently, TechWay Inc., an information technology company specializing in health information systems, moved to the Mizzou Center.
But the new facility, officials say, will encompass that and more, serving as a kind of epi-center to other facilities on the property as MU assists in research and development in the animal/human health field.
Council members, who voted unanimously to accept the letter of intent, were pleased and, like all present, offered a round of applause.
The journey hasn’t been easy, Starner said Monday. The economy “tanked” shortly after the project was first announced. In addition, a developer backed out of the project and the university had to delay construction of the Mizzou Center in response to finances – both in the public sector and private.
A major milestone in Blue Springs has arrived.
After three years of accomplishment and set-back, the Mizzou Center, identified by officials as the anchor tenant for the proposed Missouri Innovation Park, is on its way to becoming a reality.
Construction is expected to begin in September 2012 and the center should be ready for occupancy in early 2014.
The announcement was made at the Blue Springs City Council meeting Monday. Present were city officials, members of the Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation and the University of Missouri.
“MU is a major economic driver for the state, and our commitment to bridge MU to the greater Kansas City area remains firm,” Brady Deaton, chancellor for MU, said before City Council and a packed house. “We are willing to do our part, just as the Blue Springs EDC continues to do their part – to grow and market the Missouri Innovation Park.”
The projected cost for the 80,000- to 90,000 square-foot facility, to be located on the 63 acres of the park fronting the Adams Dairy Parkway and Adams Pointe Golf Course, is about $13.9 million, according to Brien Starner, president of the EDC.
Monday night’s presentation preceded a formal signing of a letter of intent to proceed with the next phase in the project, which was first announced in December 2008. The public announcement also served as a means to put the word out that the city, the EDC and MU will begin the process of looking for a developer for the facility, which will house educational facilities, laboratories and business incubators meant to bridge the animal and life sciences.
The university already has a presence in the area. Located inside the Heartland Financial building, the smaller and more modest Mizzou Center has seen significant growth during the last 18 months of operation, including the addition of 13 master’s level courses; 177 students; six degree programs in current development; and 222 business clients who have participated in 628 counseling sessions.
Recently, TechWay Inc., an information technology company specializing in health information systems, moved to the Mizzou Center.
But the new facility, officials say, will encompass that and more, serving as a kind of epi-center to other facilities on the property as MU assists in research and development in the animal/human health field.
Council members, who voted unanimously to accept the letter of intent, were pleased and, like all present, offered a round of applause.
The journey hasn’t been easy, Starner said Monday. The economy “tanked” shortly after the project was first announced. In addition, a developer backed out of the project and the university had to delay construction of the Mizzou Center in response to finances – both in the public sector and private.
“Despite the challenges of the economy, we persevered,” Starner said.
While Council Member Ron Fowler showed his support for the project by voting for the intent following the meeting, he questioned how the facility would be funded. He also asked that the city’s school district be involved in the park’s creation.
Starner said building the facility, which would depend on a variety of factors including alumni donations and fundraisers, as well as federal and state grants (some of which officials have applied for already), is critical in order to establish credibility.
“The market is a very show-me-attitude mentality,” he said, adding that gaps regarding the building’s funding have not yet been filled.
One source of funding, an economic development administration grant, may help pay for a portion of the building’s funding, Starner said. Officials hope to apply for the grant soon.
But Eric Johnson, city administrator, said it took the city six years to build the Adams Dairy Landing complex. He said building the Target store inevitably attracted many of the businesses opening there now.
“Target was the major anchor,” Johnson said, drawing the comparison to the Mizzou Center.
The Missouri Innovation Park, once all phases of development are complete in 15 to 25 years, will represent $340 million in capital investment. It’s expected to be home to more than 40 companies employing 3,700 employees, with an annual payroll of $190 million, according to information provided by the university.
