Oct 23, 2009

The South Bend Redevelopment Commission today approved a contract that will visibly strengthen a seamless relationship between its two state-certified technology parks while developing a formal business plan for Ignition Park.

On a day marking the opening of Innovation Park at Notre Dame, one site of South Bend's two-site state-certified technology park, the Redevelopment Commission authorized a contract with South Bend-based Hathaway 2 Inc. to develop a 10-year "strategic vision and development plan" for the other site, Ignition Park.

The plan will place a consultant, operating on behalf of the City of South Bend, in offices at Innovation Park, enhancing what officials describe as a "seamless" relationship between the sister technology parks. Among other things, Ignition Park is expected to be a landing site for firms that emerge from Innovation Park, where research innovations become viable marketplace ventures.

"The strength of South Bend's efforts to power the new economy lies in strong partnerships, through which innovative research is finding new expressions in commercial products and ventures," said Mayor Stephen J. Luecke. "The seamless relationship between Innovation Park and Ignition Park highlights those strengths. With personnel based at Innovation Park, working collaboratively on a daily basis, the connection between our two-site technology parks will be even stronger than first envisioned."

The Redevelopment Commission already is in the middle of a multi-year marketing/ communications contract with The Blue Waters Group, a firm with offices in Madison, Wis., and South Bend, focusing on communication about Ignition Park and economic opportunities in South Bend.

But the new contract with Hathaway 2 Inc. addresses more specific tactical measures related to the economic development of the Ignition Park site at Sample and Chapin streets, such as:

• Identifying the future management of Ignition Park, including the extent of the City's ongoing day-to-day role.
• Preparing five-year operating and development budgets.
• Developing a plan for financial self-sustainability, including funding opportunities.
• Managing an advisory group that would identify key research areas and help guide the determination of an appropriate tenant mix for Ignition Park.

Hathaway 2 Inc. will be represented by Geri Hathaway, the firm's president, and James Eifert, former president of Rose-Hulman Ventures, who previously served as a consultant in the application for South Bend's two-site state-certified technology park. Eifert will be available to Hathaway 2 as a consultant.

Located on the grounds of former automaker Studebaker Corp., Ignition Park is being developed on more than 140 acres of land just southwest of downtown. Abandoned buildings on the site have been demolished since 2000 in Indiana's most aggressive brownfield reclamation effort. That process should be complete in 2011. Site tests already have demonstrated that Ignition Park is ideally suited for nanotechnology development, among other high-tech ventures. But such sensitive work cannot proceed while existing buildings are being demolished.

"The steps taken today will help ensure that when Ignition Park is ready for development that development will be ready for Ignition Park," said Jeff Gibney, executive director of South Bend's Department of Community and Economic Development. "The City of South Bend is moving forward aggressively to develop this site for high-tech businesses and to marshal the community's strengths and resources to our fullest potential."

The one-year contract is effective Nov. 1.

Contact: 

• Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564
• Jeff Gibney, Executive Director of Community and Economic Development, 235-9371