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Mayor Phil Gordon and Councilman Greg Stanton
Viewpoints Column
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 15, 2004
Phoenix steps toward biotech campus and a vibrant new future
This week marked another major step in the development of the downtown Phoenix Bioscience Center . Through visionary leadership at the city and at the universities, the city of Phoenix and the Arizona Board of Regents signed an intergovernmental agreement for university development of three new clinical research and education buildings on the bioscience campus. Further, the agreement allows the universities to renovate and use the three historic former Phoenix Union High School buildings on the campus for new biomedical research and academic uses . The city of Phoenix participation in the bioscience campus development was a strategic decision by the Mayor and Council to accomplish several key goals. First, it allows Phoenix and Arizona to participate in the fastest growing segment of the national economy -- biosciences. Second, it is consistent with the city's adopted economic development long-range plan to help diversify our economy and create an economic platform for higher-wage jobs. Third, it enables the city of Phoenix to foster a better educated public through K-12 education partnerships, job training, internships and greater university presence in downtown Phoenix .
Located on 15 acres between Fifth and Seventh streets and Van Buren and Fillmore streets in the heart of the Valley and state, the bioscience campus is positioned and planned to accommodate up to one million square feet of research, education, clinical and private commercial bioscience development. An additional 10 acres immediately north of the site is owned by the city of Phoenix and is available for bioscience and university expansion beyond the former Phoenix Union High School campus.
University participation in the bioscience campus is essential to the successful partnership of the public and private sectors, the International Genomics Consortium and the Translational Genomics Research Institute. The state of Arizona , city of Phoenix , Maricopa County , private foundations, private business, Arizona State University , University of Arizona , Northern Arizona University and Maricopa Community College District developed a business plan and financially contributed to attract the IGC headquarters and create TGen in Arizona . This enabled the recruitment of TGen president and scientific director Dr. Jeffrey Trent along with other premiere scientists such as Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, Dr. Michael Berens, Dr. Dietrich Stephon, Dr. Jeff Touchman and Dr. John Carpten.
The building that will house the IGC headquarters and TGen research laboratories is currently under construction with expected completion in November of 2004. University design and construction of their first new building just south of the IGC/TGen headquarters is expected to begin yet this year. The synergy of the cutting edge research of IGC and TGen, coupled with university education and clinical research in a single location is an opportunity for scientific collaboration that can result in vast improvements in healthcare and discoveries and cures for serious disease.
The city of Phoenix is poised to be a leader in the new economy with its long-term commitment to bioscience research and higher education in its downtown core. The success of this venture will go a long way, bringing good jobs with high wages to our community, improving economic development prospects, health benefits to our citizens and a new vibrancy to our downtown.
As you will see for years to come, we obviously made the right choice by supporting research and education downtown.
Phil Gordon is the mayor of Phoenix .
Greg Stanton is a Phoenix City Councilman and chairman of the City Council Education, Culture and Genomics Subcommittee.
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