The city of Davis is pushing the Nishi property on West Olive Drive to be the site where UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi’s vision of an “innovation hub” will take shape.

The city submitted its concept by Thursday afternoon’s deadline in response to Katehi’s request for proposals announced in February, Deputy City Manager Kelly Stachowicz confirmed.

Katehi defined the innovation hub as a place where the technologies and ideas from the minds at UCD can be spun into profitable commercial enterprises. The hub could be virtual or, as the city proposes, a brick-and-mortar building.

The city’s application highlights the Nishi property’s location as well as the town’s highly skilled workforce and demonstrated commitment to economic development. The city proposes a tentative ground-breaking in 2013.

Nishi is a privately owned 44-acre sliver of land on West Olive Drive, bounded by the railroad tracks to the west, Richards Boulevard to the north and Interstate 80 to the east. It has been on the city’s radar for development for years and the owners are interested in the innovation hub idea.

The property’s proximity to the downtown, university campus and the freeway make it an ideal “gateway” to Davis, according to the 2008 housing element update to the city’s General Plan.

The city is “uniquely poised to be the primary innovation hub for the UC Davis campus,” Ken Hiatt, the city’s community development and sustainability director, told the City Council at its meeting on March 1.

Hiatt listed the city’s location, educated residents and policies supporting innovation as key assets that tip the scale in Davis’ favor.

Although Davis may be competing with regional governments in landing the innovation hub, it is the urban community located nearest the UCD campus, Hiatt said. Davis also is home to many of the university’s employees, students, offices and support services, he said.

Additionally, the city’s educated, skilled workforce has strengths in biotechnology, energy, environmental, food and health industries, Hiatt said.

Katehi’s request for proposals says submissions will be evaluated based on their alignment with the university’s objectives:

* Advance regional economic prosperity through transfer of knowledge and technology from UCD to the marketplace;

* Lead the development of economy based in clean energy, life sciences and agriculture in Northern California;

* Deepen UCD’s connections to the regional, national and global business communities;

* Support culture of entrepreneurship to transform UCD research into for-profit enterprises; and

* Provide educational and networking opportunities for faculty, staff and students to develop and demonstrate the commercial value of their inventions.

— Reach Crystal Lee at [email protected] or (530) 747-8057. Comment on this story at www.davisenterprise.com

NishiW

The vacant Nishi property, bounded by the railroad tracks, Richards Boulevard and Interstate 80, has been on the city’s radar for development for many years. Fred Gladdis/Enterprise photo

NishiProperty.fh10

Comments

comments