SIRP News

May 6, 2005
SIUC breaks ground for So. Ill. Research Park
By Tom Woolf

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The economic engine that drives Southern Illinois is adding some serious horsepower.

Federal, state and local dignitaries joined Southern Illinois University Carbondale officials today (May 6) to break ground for a nearly 20,000-square-foot multi-tenant building in the Southern Illinois Research Park. The park is on the south side of the campus, near the intersection of U.S. Highway 51 and Pleasant Hill Road.

SIRP Ground Breaking on May 6, 2005 for
a nearly 20,000-square-foot multi-tenant building

The one-story, $2.8 million structure will go
up near the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, the anchor of the research park. Dunn-Richmond houses a variety of programs, including the Small Business Incubator, Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center, Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center, SouthernTECH and the Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development.

Tenants of the new facility will include graduates of the Small Business Incubator program and new and expanding knowledge-based companies. The building will offer office and testing space and will accommodate between 12 and 15 firms.

Construction will take between nine and 15 months. Grants from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Housing and Urban Development totaling $312,000 will help offset costs. Rents from future tenants will later repay the University for its investment.

Zeller Construction of Marion is the general contractor.

When fully developed, the park will house about 250,000 square feet of buildings. SIUC figures project as many as 75 new businesses might one day call the 42-acre park home, employing up to 1,200 people and generating $50 million in new payroll.

"The Southern Illinois Research Park reflects our Southern@150 commitment to continue to be a leader in the region's economic development," Chancellor Walter V. Wendler said. "SIUC plays a major role in business development throughout Southern Illinois. This facility, and others that we hope will follow in this park, will further enhance our region's economy by offering top-notch facilities to help attract high-tech, research and knowledge-based enterprises."

He also paid tribute to state legislators, state agency officials and members of the congressional delegation for their support of the project. In particular, Wendler noted the $860,000 in federal grants and appropriations shepherded by U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, since the unveiling of formal plans for the research park five years ago.

"We very much appreciate Congressman Costello's continuing support for the University and for the research park," Wendler said. "We are fortunate to have such a persuasive advocate on Capital Hill."

Costello, who participated in today's ceremony, said the research park will bring economic benefits to the region for years to come.

"The success of small business development at Dunn-Richmond is evident in the need to expand its operation," he said. "Developing technologies and the business operations to commercialize them are defining aspects of the economy of the 21st Century, and we are seeing the economic benefits for the local community and the nation at Dunn-Richmond. This is a tremendous asset for SIUC and I will continue to support it."

Raymond C. Lenzi, associate vice chancellor for economic and regional development and executive director of the research park, said the multi-tenant facility represents the economy of the future.

"Most of the things we now take for granted, including cars, planes, cell phones, computers and the Internet, did not exist in 1900," he said. "Similarly, the technology, jobs, work force and businesses for this century, for our children and their children, must and will be created by us if America is to maintain its competitive advantage and prosperity."

He predicted that SIUC and the research park "will together play an historic role in creating these technologies, educating this work force and creating these businesses and jobs for the 21st century."

Lenzi noted that the enterprises in the Dunn-Richmond center represent 170 employees and a $7.5 million annual payroll.

"With our array of businesses and outreach programs, we are packaging tens of millions of dollars in investments annually working with industries as diverse as grape and wine, boat and auto parts manufacturers, retirement/assisted living and tourism," he said. "This impact will grow as we go from incubator to research park."

Also participating in today's groundbreaking were Glenn Poshard, chair of the SIU Board of Trustees; state Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville; Larry Woolard, deputy director, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; Joe Kesler, chair, Southern Illinois Research Park Board; John A. Koropchak, SIUC's vice chancellor for research and graduate dean; and Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole.

Development of the research park and enhancing economic development in the region are among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint for the development of the University by the time it celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2019.

[Mon Nov 26 2001] SIUC BREAKS NEW GROUND

By Steve Binder

CARBONDALE -- Walter Wendler twisted the theme a bit, but his take on Southern Illinois University Carbondale's "Field of Dreams" will net the same effect.

BIG DAY: Congressman Jerry Costello (left) is greeted by SIUC Chancellor Walter Wendler as SIU President James E. Walker looks on. The men were gathered for the university's formal ground breaking of the Southern Illinois Research Park Monday in Carbondale. Up to 12 buildings are planned and will house high-tech businesses linked to SIUC's research mission.

It could be SIUC's way of hitting a grand slam.

"We believe this is a case that if we build it, that we attend to the needs of budding industry and business, that they'll come here," Wendler said. "The contributions that this park will make to research, business growth and jobs will have a lasting impact on both the university and on Southern Illinois."

Wendler, along with SIU President James Walker, research park Director Ray Lenzi, U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, joined about 150 others Monday afternoon for the official groundbreaking of the 45-acre park.

It will be located adjacent to the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center at the northeast corner of South Illinois Avenue and Pleasant Hill Road.

"This park will enhance opportunities for our researches, our faculty, our staff and our students. We think this park will eventually create 800 to 1,200 jobs," Wendler added.

Up to 12 buildings are planned for the facility, which has been jump-started in large measure by a combination of money. Costello helped land $450,000 in federal money during the past 18 months. State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, and Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, helped land $500,000 in state money through Gov. George Ryan's Illinois First program.

Lenzi said additional federal grant money is on the horizon.

The 12 buildings are planned to house high-tech businesses linked to SIUC's research mission; they will contain floor space equal to about 5.5 McAndrew Stadium football fields.

An $800,000 fiberoptic switching station constructed last year by Verizon was the first structure to go up in the new research park, overseen by an independent, eight-person board of directors headed by John F. Langowski, owner of Planning & Management Consultants Ltd. in Carbondale.

"This research park's work will never end. This research park will go on for many years in the future," said Dr. John F. Langowski, chairman of the Southern Illinois Research Park board. "There is a wonderful research park coming to Southern Illinois and we intend to be the best in the state."

Build-out for the park may take up to two decades. Costello said he will continue each year to try and land federal money for the park's ongoing development.

"As I said last year ... I intend to go back to Washington and try and convince the Congress that this research park is a project that we should participate in not just that year, but every year until it reaches it's full potential and finality," Costello said.

Lenzi said construction on the first business building likely won't start until next spring at the earliest. Murphysboro-based S.M. Burkey Construction Co. Inc. this month is starting the earthwork and installation of water and sewer lines throughout the park.

John Linehan, director of the Carbondale Business Development Corp. and a research park board member, said several "prospects" have expressed interest in the new park. Talks with the companies are continuing, he said.
(Reprinted with permission from The Southern Illinoisian)

A Partnership Project of Southern Illinois University Carbondale and its business partners.