Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009

NU: Not much time ... for the Industrial Arts Bldg.

By KEVIN ABOUREZK / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Innovation Campus, the planned University of Nebraska-Lincoln research and development park at the former State Fair Park, will be governed as a nonprofit organization for business flexibility purposes, UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman told Lincoln businesspeople Tuesday.

The nonprofit governance model will allow Innovation Campus leaders to respond quicker to requests from the business community, Perlman said during a "Face the Chamber" lunch at the Lincoln County Club."It has to be flexible to respond to private sector interest," he said.
In an interview after his speech, Perlman said the nonprofit model also will protect the confidentiality of those businesses involved with Innovation Campus, including protecting details of their lease agreements."You have to do that or they won't come," he said.

UNL will close on the 251-acre State Fair Park on Thursday, Perlman said. The fair will move to Grand Island once UNL takes over the property.The University of Nebraska Board of Regents on Nov. 20 approved business and master plans for the $801 million research campus.
NU leaders say a research campus can help the university capitalize on its record-breaking research programs, create high-paying jobs, lure top faculty and students to campus and keep bright young people in the area.

The 4-H Building is slated for renovation into a campus commons area at the heart of Innovation Campus. The Industrial Arts Building is scheduled, at least for now, for demolition.
Perlman said preserving the Industrial Arts Building would require private financing because UNL can't afford renovating it in addition to the 4-H Building renovation and infrastructure costs. So far, no one has expressed interest in saving the building, he said. And the university doesn't have much time to wait, because the site is part of Innovation Campus' first phase of development.

Hundreds of millions of the campus' $801 million price tag are expected to come from private donors, companies and federal grants. The campus's first tenant is expected to be a U.S. Department of Agriculture research facility. A companion UNL research building will be privately funded.

According to the business strategy plan for Innovation Campus, a seven-member board of directors appointed by the UNL chancellor in consultation with the NU president would oversee Innovation Campus.The NU Board of Regents would lease the land to Innovation Campus. The lease would require Innovation Campus leaders to submit a master land use plan and annual reports to ensure they are meeting NU's and the regents' goals. "I'm not pessimistic about us moving forward, but it's not going to happen tomorrow," Perlman said.

Back to listing >>