Site selection decisions include evaluating available infrastructure and transportation, and relevant incentives and programs. This week’s Infrastructure & Incentives Update from Business Facilities features several of the latest developments and announcements from locations across North America.
Richardson (Texas) and CBRE Seek Proposals To Redevelop Arapaho Center Station
The City of Richardson, TX and CBRE released a Solicitation Notice on March 10, seeking innovative proposals related to the redevelopment of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)’s Arapaho Center Station. Richardson is seeking a private development partner to develop a transit-oriented, mixed-use development on the 14.47-acre property. The site is a single parcel of land with by-right entitlements that exceed 1 million square feet.
Located between US Highway 75, Interstate 635, and President George Bush Turnpike, Arapaho Center Station is a key gateway to the Richardson Innovation Quarter (IQ®), a 1,200-acre innovation center with 1,000+ businesses. It is two stops from CityLine and the future DART Silver Line connection — a project linking DFW Airport to North Dallas suburbs and the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) campus. Richardson and UTD partnered in 2021 to establish a physical presence in the IQ®, with an extension of UT Dallas’ Venture Development Center and newly-created UT Dallas research centers within the City’s Innovation Quarter Headquarters (IQHQ). Arapaho Center Station is one of several transit-oriented development projects that DART is executing to reinvigorate stations throughout the metroplex.
Louisiana Launches First Innovation Cohort For Entrepreneurs
Louisiana Growth Network launched its first-ever Innovation Cohort in partnership with the Edward Lowe Foundation to foster entrepreneurship and technological innovation through an initiative aimed at supporting already successful entrepreneurs working on their next endeavor. The initiative launched after Innovation Day at Super Bowl LIX, where Louisiana Economic Development (LED) announced the launch of Louisiana Innovation(LA.IO) — a new division dedicated to creating more high-growth, technology-enabled startups. Formerly called Small Business Services, the new Louisiana Growth Network focuses on supporting businesses with high-growth potential.
To kick off the Innovation Cohort, five visionary entrepreneurs participated in an intensive three-day retreat at a facility on the Tickfaw River in Springfield owned by Dan Ducoté. Ducoté serves as an Entrepreneur Emeritus (E2) for the Edward Lowe Foundation. E2s are highly experienced entrepreneurs that elevate peer learning and enhance the delivery of programs designed for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. Participants in the inaugural Louisiana Innovation Cohort are: John Anders, CEO of Anders Construction and founder of new startup Levare.US; Tim Keeley, CEO of Martin Specialty Coatings; Kellen Francis, CEO and founder of CodeGig; Chris Meaux, founder and CEO of startup QiMana, Inc.; and William McGehee, owner of Tin Roof Brewing Company and co-founder of new startup Encore CO2.
Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Funds Applied Mathematics
The Maryland Department of Commerce has joined the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) in endowing more than $2 million to fund a research professorship in applied mathematics. The endowment was made through the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative (MEI), a state program created to spur basic and applied research in scientific and technical fields at colleges and universities. The university raised $1.06 million in private funding for the position, and Maryland Commerce approved a matching grant of $1 million.
The Dr. Thomas I. Seidman Endowed Chair in Applied Mathematics, named for a professor who taught at UMBC from 1972 to 2017, is funded in part by a gift from Seidman’s estate. The endowed chair will support UMBC’s presence in applied mathematics. This research impacts fields to support Maryland’s economy, such as medical imaging, artificial intelligence and machine learning, geophysics, and renewable energy. The Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative has provided more than $87 million in funding to leverage more than $97 million in private donations. The funding can be used to pay salaries of newly endowed department chairs, staff, and support personnel in designated scientific and technical fields of study; fund related research fellowships for graduate and undergraduate students; and purchase lab equipment and other basic infrastructure and equipment.
Florida Job Growth Grant Will Extend Rail Access At Polk County Site
The city of Winter Haven, FL has received a $1.5 million grant through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund (JGGF) to extend rail access within the Central Florida Integrated Logistics Park. This rail extension will help businesses expand operations in the area, creating 200 jobs. The Central Florida Integrated Logistics Park is 930 acres of developable land that can accommodate over 8 million square feet of development in close proximity to major thoroughfares and a dedicated CSX Rail Intermodal Facility. The Polk County center’s utilities can accommodate a variety of users from food and cold storage to manufacturers and statewide logistics companies.
The Florida Job Growth Grant Fund is an economic development program designed to promote public infrastructure and workforce training across the state. Proposals are reviewed by FloridaCommerce and are chosen by Governor DeSantis to meet the demands for workforce training or infrastructure needs in communities around the state.
Mexico’s Bajío Region Location Of Utility Plant With CO2 Reduction Aims
The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), the state-owned electric utility of Mexico, has launched a Combined-Cycle Power Plant (CCC) in Salamanca, Guanajuato, with the goal of meeting the growing electricity demand in the country’s Bajío region. This plant has a generation capacity of 927 megawatts (MW), with an average annual energy output of 7.3 terawatt-hours, operating on natural gas. By 2030, an additional 21,846 MW is expected to be reached with an investment of $29 billion. Additionally, the development of Salamanca II will add 1,500 MW of capacity.
The plant is designed to operate with combined-cycle gas and steam technology, allowing for a reduction of 3.5 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions — equivalent to taking 750,000 cars off the road. And, the reuse of water from the old thermoelectric plant has been optimized, saving more than 7 million cubic meters of water annually.
The Bajio region encompasses states like Queretaro and Guanajuato and has emerged as one of Mexico’s most dynamic industrial corridors. Known for its strategic location, skilled workforce, and robust infrastructure, the Bajio has been active in attracting foreign investment, particularly in sectors like automotive, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing.
