Purdue completes construction on International Technology Center

Martin C. Jischke, Jan Mills and Steve Shook
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"The Purdue Research Park now has five complementary buildings and 140 companies," said President Martin C. Jischke. "This partnership, formed among Purdue, the Purdue Research Foundation and the city of West Lafayette, has been so successful that it has become a model for technology centers throughout the state. This building is the latest brick-and-mortar testament to that success and can accommodate several more companies. We have more incubator space under roof than any university-affiliated incubator in the country."

The privately owned 65,159-square-foot center gives small startup companies a place to go as they grow out of other Purdue Research Park facilities. The building's east side provides office and research space for existing and new companies. International Sports Club, which provides a fitness center option not only to park companies but also to the general public, is housed on the center's west side.

"The completion of this building signifies an important step at Purdue Research Park because it gives us room to bring in more companies at the same time it allows the companies that are here to grow," said Joseph Hornett, senior vice president and treasurer of the Purdue Research Foundation, the organization that administers the research park. "Many of our park companies have outgrown their incubator. This gives the new companies the opportunity to control their growth while interacting with other businesses that share the same exclusive address."

Stephen Shook, the project's co-owner and a partner in The Shook Agency/Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty Services, said two companies currently lease space in the building's office portion.

"The Schneider Corp., which is an engineering firm, occupies most of the first-floor space, with 8,465 square feet," Shook said. "The headquarters office of Chromcraft Revington, a company that designs, manufactures and markets residential and commercial furniture, leases the second floor."

In addition, Shook said there are lobby suites and second floor suites available from 500 square feet to 2,500 square feet. The smaller suites can be leased for one-year terms with all operating expenses included. There also will be a common conference room with a kitchen available for park occupants.

Future tenants include Officescape, a virtual-office services firm that plans to lease 3,700 square feet on the second floor, and a law office currently doing business in the research park plans to lease 640 square feet on the second floor.

International Sports Clubs occupies 35,000 square feet, with 12,000 square feet of this space making up the new gymnasium expansion. Memberships to the fitness center are open to the public. The center carries many of the same features and services as the one located in Lafayette, including advanced resistance and free-weight exercise equipment and flat-screen TVs and Internet access on each of the 50 pieces of cardiovascular training equipment in the cardio theater. The new center also offers an advanced aquatics center with an Olympic-sized pool.

"The park companies indicate that quality of life — represented by our hiking/biking trails — is key to attracting the best talent to relocate here," Hornett said.

The International Technology Center is the first facility constructed in the park's Phase II, which includes 50 acres of land formed by the economic development partnership. The center is located at the intersection of Win Hentschel Boulevard and McClure Avenue, both newly constructed roads.

"This project is particularly satisfying because it provides additional incubator space and the recreational facilities the current businesses have requested," said West Lafayette Mayor Jan Mills. "West Lafayette is happy to be able to continue to provide the infrastructure and tax incentives that will help attract and grow our businesses."

The facility was built by Duke Construction of Indianapolis and funded by Research Park Associates LLC, which is the second group of Lafayette-based private investors to construct additional space for growing startup companies at the park.

Purdue Research Park, Indiana's first Certified Technology Park, is home to the largest university-affiliated, state-of-the-art business incubator in the nation. Life sciences, information technology and advanced manufacturing ventures make up the majority of the more than 100 businesses located on the park's 591 acres.

Writer: Maggie Morris, media relations, Purdue Research Park, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu

Sources: Martin C. Jischke, (765) 494-2084

Joseph Hornett, (765) 496-8645, jbhornett@purdueresearchfoundation.org

Stephen Shook, (765) 742-5096, sshook@cbcrs.com

Jan Mills, (765) 775-5100, mayor@mail.city.west-lafayette.in.us

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Related Web sites:
Indiana Department of Commerce/State of Indiana

Lafayette/West Lafayette Economic Development Corporation

PHOTO CAPTION:
Purdue president Martin C. Jischke, from left, West Lafayette Mayor Jan Mills and Steve Shook, partner in The Shook Agency/Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty Services cut the ribbon at a ceremony today (Monday, Aug. 28) at the Purdue Research Park. The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the completion of construction of the International Technology Center, a facility that includes space for high-tech companies and a full-scale health club. (Purdue News Service photo/Dave Umberger)

A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2006/international-tech-ribbon.jpg

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