President Albrecht and Gov. Huntsman Celebrate USTAR Groundbreaking

Utah State University President Stan L. Albrecht, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. and USU Vice President for Strategic Ventures and Economic Development Ned M. Weinshenker gathered at USU’s Innovation Campus in October to announce the groundbreaking for a new Utah Science, Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR) research facility.

The $60 million, 110,000-square-foot, three floor building will house USU USTAR researchers studying in the life sciences. When completed, USU’s Center for Advanced Nutrition will move into the building that will be equipped with an industrial-sized kitchen, lab space, offices and individual study participant rooms where biological samples may be taken.

 

“We stand here today and can celebrate our future as a state,” said Huntsman. “The USTAR program attracts faculty from all over the world and enhances the collaboration between universities and industry. The brain power from these world-class researchers makes USTAR a success. We are building a much brighter future for generations to come through the USTAR program.”

 

USU’s Center for Advanced Nutrition is focused on exploring the impact of nutrition on such 21st century plagues as obesity, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Other areas of research in the center include studying genetic markers for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and looking at developmental disorders such as autism.

 

“What an exciting time in the history of USU,” said Albrecht. “This new research facility allows us to increase our research so that we can play an increasing role in making Utah’s economy more robust. Many of our students and undergraduate and graduate levels will participate in this new research and that is the most exciting for me. I celebrate the partnership that made this all possible. Let’s all go to work and make this venture all we dreamed it would be.”

 

The building will be environmentally friendly and be designated a Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building. LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

 

“The kind of research that will take place in the new building will allow for growth of our USTAR research in the life sciences,” said Ned M. Weinshenker, USU’s vice president for strategic ventures and economic development. “The new facility allows us to further existing research already started in buildings on the university’s main campus and at the Innovation Campus. The expansion, in terms of the research and physical building space, will spawn more high-tech, high-paying jobs to the area and the state. We have already seen interest from developers to construct buildings in close proximity to capture resulting spinout companies.”

 

The new building will be located on USU’s Innovation Campus, at 620 E. Grand Avenue (1600 North), in North Logan. The $60 million cost for the building includes all architectural, engineering and construction fees and will be funded by USTAR with previously allocated money and approved bonds from Utah’s 2006 legislative session. Construction began Nov. 1 and will be completed in early 2011. The building was designed by AJC Architects and Payette Associates. Construction of the building will be handled by Gramoll Construction Company.

             

Passed in the 2006 state legislative session, USTAR is designed to help Utah keep pace in scientific research and technological advancement — directly translating to a stronger economy, high-paying jobs, increased tax revenue and better quality of life, said USU Vice President for Research Brent Miller. The USTAR Economic Development Initiative leverages the proven success of Utah’s research universities in creating and commercializing innovative technologies.

 

For more information about the new USTAR research facility, contact Weinshenker, 435-797-9602, ned.weinshenker.usu.edu. For more information on USTAR, visit its Web site.

 

Contacts: Ned Weinshenker (435) 797-9607, ned.weinshenker@usu.edu

Michael O’Malley (801) 538-8879,  momalley@utah.gov