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Mayo Clinic chooses Discovery Square developer
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Mayo Clinic plans to add up to 2 million square feet for research, education, commercial and product development space over the next 20 years as part of Discovery Square.
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic today announced that it will collaborate with M.A. Mortenson Company, a real estate development firm for Destination Medical Center’s (DMC) Discovery Square. Discovery Square will serve as a point where physicians and scientists will come together with businesses and entrepreneurs to accelerate advancements in medical research and technology for critical advances in patient care.
Mortenson, a Minneapolis-based and family-owned development and construction services firm, will spearhead the Mayo development on the portion of the six-block DMC sub-district that will house the bioscience research, education and medical innovation campus. The launch of Discovery Square, which will include Mayo and other private businesses, is a key milestone for DMC, the largest public-private partnership in Minnesota state history, and one of the largest economic development initiatives in the U.S.
Mortenson’s purpose, to build “structures and facilities for the advancement of modern society,” aligns with the vision of DMC. An economic engine for DMC’s development strategy, Discovery Square is expected to be one of the key drivers for Rochester, Minnesota, job growth. It will attract researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs focused on fostering collaborations as well as commercialization activities to convert scientific discoveries into breakthrough treatments.
“Discovery Square’s establishment is a critical component of the greater DMC vision, and the collaboration with Mortenson brings Mayo Clinic closer to realizing the positive impact that Discovery Square will make,” says Jeff Bolton, vice president, Administration, Mayo Clinic, who chairs the DMC Economic Development Agency Board. “This milestone marks a step toward accelerating innovative research, facilitating Mayo Clinic’s capabilities to find solutions for the unmet needs of patients with the most complex health care conditions and transform the practice of medicine.”
Mayo Clinic is renowned for its industry-altering research emerging from within a 1.3-million-square-foot research footprint (Mayo’s entire downtown Rochester campus encompasses more than 15 million square feet) dedicated to biomedical study, clinical research and product development. Engineering News-Record Midwest’s 2016 Contractor of the Year and a leading real estate developer, Mortenson now will be tasked with establishing up to 2 million square feet of new research, commercial and product development space in the heart of Discovery Square.
MEDIA CONTACT: Kelly Reller, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu
“We are honored to partner with Mayo Clinic on their vision for a global destination for health and wellness in Rochester,” said David Mortenson, chairman of M.A. Mortenson Company. “Discovery Square will serve as a keystone of the Destination Medical Center economic development initiative that will successfully bring together biomedical research, education, and innovation through unparalleled public-private investment in the city, the region and the state.”
“Mortenson is a Minnesota-based, family-owned development and construction services firm with national and global reach. With this experience, they will be a fantastic partner with Mayo to spearhead the development of the six-block Discovery Square, the bioscience research, education and medical innovation campus that is the core of the DMC,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith, DMC Corporation Board Chair. “Discovery Square, which will include Mayo and other private businesses, is a key milestone for DMC, and this announcement puts us another step closer to realizing Minnesota's largest economic development partnership.”
“This is a small step for Mayo Clinic and a giant step for DMC in bringing Discovery Square to life,” says Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede. “While we all might get a little impatient waiting to see these projects reshape our landscape, big things take time as we work through the planning process. This is an important step in positioning Rochester as the ‘Silicon Valley of Medicine.’”
On June 8, Mayo Clinic announced its vision for Discovery Square, a major milestone for DMC’s plan to enhance Rochester’s reputation as the world’s premier destination for health and wellness, and create a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem that encourages start-up companies. Discovery Square complements Mayo Clinic’s primary mission of putting the needs of the patient first and support the advancement of scientific discovery by providing an innovative setting and taking a uniquely collaborative approach to the practice of medicine.
At the time of the announcement, John Noseworthy, M.D., president and CEO, Mayo Clinic, said, “At Mayo Clinic, we feel that we have a responsibility to bring forward discoveries that will deliver hope and better health to people around the world. There is no better way to stimulate innovation than through collaboration, which has been part of the Mayo culture for over 150 years. We’re looking forward to welcoming businesses, medical innovators and researchers from around the world to Discovery Square, each of whom will work together to accelerate advances in bioscience, research, education and technology for health and wellness.”
With groundbreaking slated to begin in late 2017, the first of several Discovery Square buildings is anticipated to be completed and occupied by 2019. Discovery Square is 1 of 6 sub-districts in the DMC Development Plan, catalyzing mixed-use neighborhoods made up of life science businesses, new start-ups and residential options anchored by signature spaces.
For more information on DMC, including its sub-districts, visit http://dmc.mn/maps/#discoverySquare.
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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to medical research and education, and providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/.
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