CSULB building high-tech park

In an effort to revitalize local economy, Cal State Long Beach will go high-tech by building a research and training facility on Terminal Island.

The new center, Technology Park, which is located near downtown Long Beach, is in its first phase of development. In addition to research and training, the center will feature startup business and interactive training programs, warehousing and light manufacturing.

"In 1995, when the Navy closed its shipyard in the Port of Long Beach, the city lost close to $1 billion in business revenue," said Mo Tidemanis, director for the new center CSULB Foundation's property management.

The university agreed to the arrangement around 1995 or 1996, Tidemanis said.

"We're hoping to bring new businesses back to the area and to create new jobs," he said.

The park is located in an economic redevelopment zone, which will provide new businesses with numerous tax credits and other economic incentives Tidemanis said. CSULB will grant participating businesses access to facilities, laboratories, research facilities and databases on campus, and access to the faculty and students for consulting and participation, in accordance with the agreement with the city of Long Beach.

"It sounds good to me," said senior Joey Medina, an electrical engineering major. "It means more jobs for people around the area and gives people opportunities to do better for themselves."

Despite the large scope of the project, Tidemanis said Technology Park will not be paid for by CSULB students.

"What we are doing here has no impact on the university's budget," he said. "Everything so far has been paid for by federal and state grants, and money from the future leases will make this site self-funding."

CSULB was able to purchase the land with a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce as part of a national economic redevelopment program, university press release stated.

Currently, the land has been almost completely cleared of the old structures, except for two buildings occupied by CSULB. The remaining 20 acres will be parceled out to private businesses.

The buildings owned by CSULB have been refurbished and already have two tenants, the Alameda Corridor Training Project and the Long Beach Enterprise Center, Tidemanis said. The Alameda Corridor Training Project coincides with the Alameda Corridor Project, which, when completed, will consolidate more than 90 miles of railroad tracks and 200 roadway crossings into one 20-mile corridor.

The project will allow CSULB to train approximately 1,000 residents in building and developing non-trade skills, which will be needed on the project. This training project will be administered through the city of Long Beach for residents of the Carson, Lomita, Torrance and Los Angeles areas with funding provided under Title III of the Job Training Partnership Act.

CSULB's second tenant is the Long Beach Enterprise Center, an association of academic, local government, and private sector businesses and organizations, offering services such as mentoring, on-line access to business resources, on-site technical assistance and administrative support to its members, Tidemanis said.

According to Tidemanis, CSULB is seeking additional federal and state grants and has finalized the signing of its first private tenants. The center is currently waiting for other businesses to come in, Tidemanis said.