Nearly $30 million committed to making the former General Tire plant a high-tech research center has started arriving, and one official said the hammers should start swinging within a month or two.

The Waco City Council today will vote on honoring the city’s pledge of $2.5 million toward creating the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative.

The BRIC, officials say, will combine scientists, industry and Waco’s three major colleges: Baylor University, McLennan Community College and Texas State Technical College.

The old General Tire plant is set to be transformed into a high-tech business park.
Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald, file

They will conduct research of their own and work with high-tech companies they hope will lease space in the former tire-making plant at South Loop Drive and Orchard Lane that went dark in the mid-1980s.

Local leaders announced plans for the BRIC last October and said Phase 1 should wrap up by 2012. It involves removing a small amount of asbestos left in the 300,000-square-foot red-brick building at the plant’s entrance and creating a “shell” for use by scientists, students and businesses.

The three-story building may get a new exterior, as well as new signs and windows, improved parking and a new atrium/lobby with a clearly defined entrance.

“I’m still absolutely excited about BRIC, and it’s good to see things getting started,” said Sarah Roberts, economic development director for the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.

Roberts said the BRIC will allow companies to collaborate with Baylor and TSTC on research and development.

Some industries will lease space there for their own research teams, and Baylor students will see the school’s engineering program expanded, enabling the school to offer a doctorate in engineering.

“In addition to looking for companies to bring into the area, we’ve been trying to introduce a research component to local companies,” and in that pursuit the center should prove invaluable, Roberts said.

McLennan County has pledged $2.5 million from the Waco-McLennan County Economic Development Corp. incentive fund.

That means the city and county governments are putting up $5 million.

County commissioners next week will take their vote, and County Judge Jim Lewis said he expects approval.

Waco City Manager Larry Groth said, “This is the biggest economic development contribution I can remember the city and county giving, but I have no doubt it will pass.”

“It ties all the major organizations in Waco together in a huge economic development project,” he added. “I think maybe it’s the most significant economic development project we’ll see in the next 20 years.”

Baylor regents pledged $10 million, and so did the state of Texas. But an across-the-board state spending cut of 5 percent has reduced its grant to $9.5 million, TSTC president Elton Stuckly Jr. confirmed.

The city of Bellmead, meanwhile, has promised at least $500,000, Baylor officials said.

Truell Hyde and Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy chat after the announcement of the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative.
Duane A. Laverty/Waco Tribune-Herald, file

In the building, space will be allocated to Baylor, TSTC and industry, Truell Hyde, Baylor’s vice provost for research, said.

More will be provided for seminars and high-tech training, as well as for future use.

Phase 2 involves doing finish-out work on these spaces according to the needs of the users.

Hyde estimated it will cost another $30 million, and he has requested $15 million from the National Institute for Standards and Technology.

Baylor has hired the international architectural firm of Perkins and Will to design the center. It has completed projects in 49 states and 43 countries around the globe.

Some of its more notable buildings include Chase Tower in Chicago; the Klaus Advanced Computing Building at Georgia Tech University in Atlanta; the University of Pennsylvania’s Biomedical Research Building II in Philadelphia; and the International School of Beijing in China.

Dallas-based Beck Group will serve as general contractor.

Waco-based economist Ray Perryman said he expects the center to employ 300 its first year and 500 by 2014.

These do not include spinoff jobs, Perryman said, adding he sees the park generating $1.5 billion to $4.2 billion in economic impact in its first 15 years, while creating 8,618 to 22,656 jobs.

Waco businessman Clifton Robinson donated the General Tire building to Baylor.

Local Realtor Bland Cromwell, who owned a portion of the building, also was one of the donors.

mcopeland@wacotrib.com

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