During a Tuesday presentation of the State of IDEA Commons, MSU President Michael Nietzel said the park is progressing as planned.
The presentation was part of the weeklong IDEA Exposition, which is shining the spotlight on Missouri State University’s IDEA Commons, anchored by Jordan Valley Innovation Center. School officials, corporate partners, city and community leaders are taking part in a series of events designed to highlight the latest activities at the urban research park, which brings together innovation, design, entrepreneurship and art in downtown Springfield.
“We did what we said we wanted the Jordan Valley Innovation Center to do: We wanted to promote discovery that would lead to manufacturing,” Nietzel said, pointing to an upcoming
expansion of corporate partner Brewer Science’s manufacturing research facilities, which will create 10 local jobs.
Nietzel said the IDEA Commons currently employs 85 people and has generated $10 million in private investments. Another $25 million in private money, including business and residential investment, is projected to come to the area because of the park during the next five years, he said.
The IDEA Commons itself also is in growth mode. The university’s Art and Design department will expand to an adjacent building in Brick City for the fall 2011 semester. MSU, which is currently leasing 20,000 square feet in Brick City from developer Matt Miller, will lease another 16,000 square feet. The Marlin Co. will lease approximately 8,000 square feet on the third floor of that building.
“It puts our students next to the professionals they aspire to become,” Nietzel said.
Read more on the IDEA Exposition in Springfield Business Journal's April 5 issue.[[In-content Ad]]
