Columns:: It takes a village: Plans for new Riverbend research park complex presented to cabinet

since 12/15/98

Columns::October 29, 2001

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Conceptual masterplan for Riverbend Research Village

Construction is scheduled to begin in middle to late spring of 2002. In the first phase, a new and expanded facility for the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center will be constructed.

It takes a village
Plans for new Riverbend research park complex presented to cabinet

By Chuck Toney
ctoney@uga.edu

The university’s plans for a research village on a 100-acre site bordered by the Athens Perimeter and College Station Road were presented to the university cabinet at its Oct. 23 meeting.
The site is bisected by the Oconee River, and project planners intend to preserve the natural setting of the property.
“This is a stunning piece of property,” said Danny Sniff, director of the Office of University Architects. “We hope to create an area that will be an attractive place for faculty, researchers and graduate students to work. This property includes components that are not usually seen in a research park.”
Construction at Riverbend Research Village is scheduled to begin in middle to late spring of 2002, pending regents’ approval of the plans. In the first phase, a new and expanded facility for the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center will be constructed. New facilities for University Computing and Networking Services and the regents’ Office of Instructional and Informational Technology will be built. The university and the Merial Corporation will collaborate on the animal and human vaccine development building. Total estimated cost of construction of phase one is approximately $100 million. Completion of the first projects is expected in 2004.
“We would like to create a self-sufficient community here,” said Joe Powell of the Office of University Architects. “We envision elements of housing for graduate and post-doctoral students as well as grab-and-go dining, such as sandwiches. There will be walking trails and bicycle paths.”
Members of the cabinet also discussed the process of meeting the targeted cut of 2.5 percent in this year’s state budget and an additional 2.5 percent for the following fiscal year. Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Hank Huckaby addressed potential questions about the university’s proceeding with capital and construction projects while cutting funds in other areas.
“Those dollars are not permitted to move,” Huckaby said. “We cannot use capital dollars for faculty or staff hiring. In addition, our spending on construction and other capital projects has a positive economic impact.”
“The governor, in his memo to us, urged strongly that we continue to spend those capital and construction dollars,” said President Michael F. Adams. “It’s clear that we can generate jobs and cash flow through construction and renovation; every community in this state would be happy to have an economic stimulus like UGA.”
Adams also discussed the faculty and administrative hiring outlook.
“With the exception of two minority recruiting positions in admissions, no administrative positions are moving ahead,” he said. “Until we get the faculty hiring situation figured out, we will not make any administrative hires.”

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