Discovery Square and updates on the Destination Medical Center design guidelines were among the highlights in this week’s Destination Medical Center Corporation board meeting.
Earlier this month, Mayo Clinic and DMC made a major announcement about the next steps for Discovery Square, an urban research center where doctors, researchers, and scientists can work together on advancements in medical research, technology, and patient care.
“Mayo Clinic’s investment in Discovery Square is an exciting step for the city of Rochester. Discovery Square will propel the development of innovative ideas, products, and businesses in southeast Minnesota,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith, DMC Corporation Board Chair.
The first building will break ground in 2017, and Mayo Clinic is currently searching for a real estate development firm to take on the project.
“We’ve very excited about this,” said Mayo Clinic Chief Administrative Officer and DMC Economic Development Agency Board Chair Jeff Bolton. “We think this will serve as a key catalyst, not just for Discovery Square, but also for the retail aspects of downtown Rochester.”
After meeting with numerous innovators and entrepreneurs earlier this month at the BIO International Conference in San Francisco where Discovery Square was unveiled, business owners are already interested in the project, said Dr. Clark Otley, with Mayo Clinic Ventures.
“They will come for Mayo Clinic partnerships, but they will stay for Rochester,” said Otley. “Mayo is open for those kinds of [collaborative] relationships.”
The board was also updated on the DMC design guidelines, which will help the city and developers plan as Rochester grows. Those guidelines get down to the finest detail, including sidewalk widths and tree planting – important factors in making a city more walkable and inviting.
Finances were also on the agenda, with board members seeing the results of an annual audit by Clifton Larson Allen.
“It was a very clean audit,” said Craig Popenhagen, a principal at the firm.
Later in the day at a joint meeting of the DMCC Board, DMC EDA and the City Council, there was a deeper discussion about transportation, finances, and roles and responsibilities.
The next board meeting is Aug. 25, 2016 from 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.