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ABSTRACT: High-Technology parks have evolved from merely being considered a subset of ‘industrial’ and ‘office’ use, into a unique land use category with its own set of ‘rules’. The purpose of this session is to understand some of these ‘rules’ by examining high technology parks/land uses in the context of industry needs, land use economics, and regional economic development.

More specifically, the objective is to understand the key location criteria of technology industries based on industry sectors and/or industry functions, which are essential for the conception and expansion of successful technology parks. The three panelists bring their expertise and experience in technology-related land uses, and more specifically technology parks, from three distinct perspectives.

Economics Research Associates (ERA), a leading international land use economics consulting firm, has been recently engaged in assessing the feasibility of a number of technology parks in Southern California. The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation retained ERA to identify potential locations and industry types/functions for a 1,000-acre regional technology park located away from the traditional technology related clusters in the county, in view of developable land becoming scarce in these areas. The regional economic development objective is to maintain production functions within the County as biotech, bio-medical, telecommunications, electronics, and defense technology firms transition from research and development into manufacturing and services. ERA’s research included extensive interviews with both technology companies, as well as technology parks across the nation to better understand some of the key issues of industry location and clustering. The first panelist, Mr. William Anderson AICP, a Vice President of ERA, will elaborate these key issues, using the San Diego case as an example. The second panelist, Mr. Michael Stepner, AICP Fellow, of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation will shed light on the issue of locating technology parks from a regional economic development and land use perspective. Finally, the third panelist, Mr. Ronald Kysiak, Exec. Vice President and CEO of the Northwestern University/Evanston Research Park Inc., will tie the issues discussed by the above two panelists to the development and operations side, through his experience in operating a leading research park in the Greater Chicago area. The session will conclude by identifying key location issues by industry sector (information, communication, bio-tech etc.), industry function (research and development, production), park type (university related vs. non-university related) and local/regional economic development factors.

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Author and Copyright Information

Copyright 2002 by author

Ronald C. Kysiak
Executive Vice President and CEO
Northwestern University/ Evanston Research Park
1327 Church Street
Evanston, Illinois 60201
Ph: (847) 475 7170
Fx: (847) 475 7380
email: r-kysiak@nwu.edu

Amitabh Barthakur
Senior Associate
Economics Research Associates
10990 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 1500
Los Angeles CA 90024
TEL. 310.477.9585 ext. 246
FAX. 310.478.1950
http://www.econres.com