~Creative Technology Accelerator to be anchored by UD-Led IDCAST, Dayton RFID Convergence Center, and Weston Solutions~
(Dayton, Ohio) – August 31, 2009 – Today marks the beginning of a new era for Dayton’s advanced technology industries, as progress at Tech Town continues to move forward with the opening of the technology park’s first building, the Creative Technology Accelerator (CTA). The CTA, located at the intersection of Monument and Taylor streets on the eastern edge of downtown, is the new home to the University of Dayton-led Institute for Development and Commercialization of Advanced Sensor Technology (IDCAST), the Dayton RFID Convergence Center, and Weston Solutions.
To commemorate the official opening of the CTA, the following local, state, and federal officials were among those attending today’s grand opening festivities:
• Rhine McLin, Mayor, City of Dayton
• Rep. Michael R. Turner, Congressman, Ohio Third District
• Gov. Ted Strickland, Governor, State of Ohio
• Gary Abernathy, District Representative, Office of U.S. Sen. George V. Voinovich
• Paul Bradley, Regional Representative, Office of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown
• Dan Foley, President, Montgomery County Commission
• Allen Melcer, Deputy Director, Land & Chemicals Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5
• Dr. David Jerome, Director, AFRL Sensors Directorate
• Daniel Curran, President, University of Dayton
• Harry Seifert, Chairman, CityWide Development Corporation
Guests of the event were treated to an example of a technology that will be further developed at Tech Town—an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was showcased with a flyover at the Tech Town site. UAVs are remotely piloted or self-piloted aircraft used by military defense outlets for intelligence-gathering purposes.
After the flyover, event guests were able to tour the CTA and meet some of Dayton’s up-andcoming advanced technology companies. Several local technology businesses were on hand to discuss their industries and projects.
The first of 10 planned structures for the Tech Town campus, the CTA is a 42,000-square-foot high-tech office and research building that will house companies in advanced technology sectors. The CTA is 100 percent leased, with tenants having moved in during July 2009. The building is silver-level LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council and includes ecologicallyfriendly “green” features such as ample natural lighting, energy-efficient fixtures, and a rooftop garden.
Financing for the CTA building was provided through a $2.55 million grant from the federal Economic Development Administration, a $2.86 million loan from the Ohio Department of Development, a $1.2 million investment from the City of Dayton Development Fund, and a $500,000 Montgomery County EDGE grant. The architect for the CTA was The Architectural Group, and the construction manager for the project was the Messer company.
With the opening of the CTA, Tech Town is well on its way to creating an environment where collaboration and innovation come together, and where technology is developed and brought to commercialization.
“Tech Town is especially geared toward industries such as sensors and RFID,” said Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin. “With the growth of Tech Town, Dayton is well on its way to becoming a world-renowned hub for research and commercialization in these arenas. The opening of the Creative Technology Accelerator is a major achievement in our strategic plan to make Dayton attractive to high-tech companies and high-tech jobs.”
“After nearly a decade of planning, the vision of transitioning an unproductive brownfield into a center for Dayton’s economic revitalization is finally a reality,” said Congressman Michael Turner, Ohio Third District. “Three weeks ago, the community marked the next phase in the Tech Town campus with the demolition of final obsolete structure, and today we celebrate the grand opening of the first Tech Town building, the Creative Technology Accelerator. Downtown Dayton is open for business as an emerging center for IT and high tech companies.”
One of the anchor tenants of the CTA is the University of Dayton-led IDCAST, a world-class center for excellence in remote sensing and CBRNE sending technology. IDCAST, which has a unique relationship with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Sensors Directorate, is a perfect example of the types of collaborations that Tech Town expects to foster.
“The Air Force Research Lab is one of the largest government entities working on advanced sensor technology, including remote sensing, chemical and biological sensing, radar, ladar, and infrared,” explains Dr. Daniel Curran, President of the University of Dayton. “Its partnership with the University of Dayton’s IDCAST provides a unique opportunity for companies to work with scientific Air Force personnel outside the Air Force base and to turn ideas into jobs benefitting the Dayton region.”
Also located in the CTA is the Dayton RFID Convergence Center (Dayton RCC), a premier center designed to accelerate the formation and growth of early stage RFID, sensor, and data management and mining technology businesses. The Dayton RCC is part of a regional effort to grow the emerging RFID sector in Southwest Ohio and is located in a new, $6 million state-of-the-art facility within the CTA. The Dayton RCC is seeking up to 20 companies to locate in its 20,000-square-foot space.
The Tech Town project is managed by CityWide Development Corporation. “It’s really encouraging for the Dayton region to see this kind of progress,” explains Steve Budd, President of CityWide. “Tech Town will be a great catalyst for technological innovation to continue finding its roots in Dayton. Our area is a perfect location for spurring advancement, and we’re excited to see what the future holds.” Along with the opening of Tech Town’s first building, the next step for the campus is underway with plans in place for the second building, currently known as Building G/H. With the entire design and construction team now in place—including building architects, landscape architects, construction managers, and technology consultants—construction is expected to begin in early 2010.
The design and construction team consists of architectural firm Alan Scherr & Associates, the construction management partnership of Shook Construction Co. and Raymond Jackson Enterprises, landscape architect firm Vivian Llambi & Associates, and technology consultant firm Digital Controls.
The $9.1 million, 70,000-square-foot multi-tenant structure will be designed as a “smart building,” incorporating highly advanced technology features such as integrated HVAC systems, secure and public wireless internet connections, and a variety of ecologically friendly “green” elements. Pre-leasing is now underway for office, laboratory, and research space within Building G/H.
For more information on Tech Town, visit www.daytontechtown.com or call (937) 853-2529.
Tech Town is the Dayton region’s premier technology-oriented district. There are 10 building sites available for sale or build-to-suit which will accommodate buildings ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 square feet. Tech Town is just 10 minutes from Wright Patterson Air Force Base. The district is also located within a HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone), a federal program established to provide more access to government contracting opportunities. Tech Town will encompass approximately 400,000 square feet of office and research space and accommodate up to 2,500 jobs once completed.
Businesses locating at Tech Town are technology-oriented. Tech Town is an ideal location for progressive companies seeking to be surrounded by peers who are also on the cutting edge of research and development. The Tech Town district is a setting where business, academia and government will work together strategically to support the region's core competencies. A major emphasis of this collaborative spirit will be technology commercialization—taking technologies developed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and other regional R&D facilities, and applying them to commercial uses.
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