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The planned 350-acre Woodland Research and Technology Park will include commercial space for companies in agriculture , biomedicine , clean transportation and environmental sciences , as well as housing for their employees .
RENDERING COURTESY OF THE CITY OF WOODLAND
commercial space and approximately 1,600 residential units to help house the professionals working there .
Construction of the first buildings at the research and tech park should start in 2023 , says Erika Bumgardner , business development liaison for the City of Woodland . The park ’ s location south of Woodland adjacent to Highway 113 makes it a prime location for companies that want to be close to UC Davis and its world-renowned agricultural talent . She says the project will build on the city ’ s reputation as a leader in food and agricultural innovation .
“ The research and tech park represents an opportunity to really grow on that tradition and build on those existing strengths ,” Bumgardner says , adding that the project offers opportunities for companies with emerging technologies in agriculture , biomedicine , clean transportation , environmental sciences and more . “ I think what ’ s a unique feature about the plan is really the dynamic work-live-play environment that will not only provide high-quality jobs for Woodland residents but also attract highly skilled professionals to the region .”
Bumgardner says the research park is part of a plan by the city to develop its economic base to add jobs and give local businesses the opportunity to grow . The project is expected to be fully built out over the next 15 to 25 years and will include a village center along with over 20 acres of public parks , open space and cycling paths .
“ By the time the Woodland Research and Technology Park is actually breaking ground and putting up roads and utilities and improvements and ( has ) started putting in commercial buildings , we will have proven here in Woodland that yes , we can recruit startup companies , we can recruit technology companies , we can successfully operate a wet lab facility of the scale we have here ,” Selep says .
He adds that the idea of expanding The Lab by as much as five times its current size in the not-too-distant future would have been met with skepticism just a few months ago . “ People would have looked at me and laughed and said , ‘ Well , you have no experience building such a thing , what makes you think you can operate that and operate it successfully ?’” he says . “ In two years , I ’ ll be able to look anybody in the Sacramento region straight in the eye and say we ’ ve been operating the largest wet lab facility in the region for startup companies and we ’ re confident that we can operate an even larger facility , fill it and successfully sustain it over time .”
Ken Smith is a freelance writer , public relations consultant and video producer who is also managing editor of Sierra Sacramento Valley Medicine magazine . More at kdscommunications . com .
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