« Back to Press Releases & Latest News
Press Release
New Hershey research center aims to create jobs
New Hershey Research Center Aims to Create Jobs
Thursday, May 31, 2007
BY DAVID WENNER of The Patriot-News
The Hershey Center for Applied Research is intended to open the gateway to new, high-paying jobs for the area.
Its purpose is to attract and provide businesses that can benefit from being close to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, which is across the street. A major goal is to turn medical center research -- such as drugs, medical devices or diagnostic tools -- into products, businesses and jobs.
"Growing new companies will be critical to the success of the park," said Laura Butcher, the director.
The master plan for the park, which officially opened yesterday, calls for 12 research buildings.
One has been built so far -- a three-story structure featuring laboratories for companies involved with biosciences or life sciences.
The building is owned by Wexford Science & Technology, a Baltimore firm that specializes in building research facilities near research institutions such as the medical center and its medical school. The building is on land owned by the Hershey Trust Co., which is involved in the partnership that's building the research park.
The first building, which cost $25 million, can hold 400 to 500 workers. The first tenant is the medical center, which moved its pharmacology department and office of technology development into the building.
Also, a small business started by medical center employees, Apogee Biotechnology Corp., has leased space. Apogee develops drugs to treat diseases including cancer.
Butcher says she's optimistic most of the space in the first building will be leased after a year.
Preliminary plans for the second building are under way, and construction might begin when occupancy of the first building reaches 75 percent, she said.
Pennsylvania's fastest-growing business sector involves companies that take medical and scientific research and turn it into products that can be manufactured and sold, said Dennis Yablonsky of the state Department of Community and Economic Development.
Such jobs pay an average of $69,000 annually, he said. About 60 percent don't require a four-year college degree, although most require some sort of specialized training after high school.
The first building was built through a partnership involving local economic groups including the Harrisburg Regional Chamber, Capital Region Economic Development Corp. and the Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania.
The state provided $5 million in grants and loans, and the greenhouse provided a $700,000 grant.
Backers of the park say the presence of private research facilities is essential to the medical center's continued ability to attract top-notch researchers.
DAVID WENNER: 255-8172 or dwenner@patriot-news.com
Wexford Science+Technology
7312 Parkway Dr.
Hanover, Maryland 21076
t 410.579.4005
f 410.579.4890