Innovista
Encyclopedia
Innovista is the University of South Carolina
's 500 acres (2 km²) research campus. The plan behind Innovista was made public in 2005, with the intention that the site would be a center for research on hydrogen and other technologies, and a magnet for private companies building spin-off products.
Innovista has attracted little private capital and the project remains largely uncompleted. The project currently lags three years behind its initial timetable for private development.
To date, more than $140 million has already been invested into Innovista, most of it state and local tax dollars.
Nearly four years after University of South Carolina leaders unveiled plans for the research campus, Innovista’s goals remain largely unrealized as a majority of the buildings constructed can’t even be completed for lack of funds. In mid-September 2009, USC president Harris Pastides said he remained committed to Innovista.
’s Coldstream Research campus while Parks was director there. Parks resigned the following month.
At present, only the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health is actually operating out of Innovista. It occupies a $26 million building on Assembly Street in Columbia and also has space in the Discovery I building on Greene Street.
Both Horizon I and Discovery I are five-story buildings that are largely hollow shells. Discovery I does have the first and second floors completed, but floors 3-5 are unfinished and would likely take months before they would be ready for occupancy.
Still, Discovery I is considerably further along than Horizon I, which lacks even indoor plumbing. Both buildings sit unfinished because there aren’t funds to complete them.
In July 2009, it was announced that USC's Moore School of Business
would relocate into a new $90 million structure in Innovista.
A short time later, the university said its technology incubator would also be moving to the research campus.
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
's 500 acres (2 km²) research campus. The plan behind Innovista was made public in 2005, with the intention that the site would be a center for research on hydrogen and other technologies, and a magnet for private companies building spin-off products.
Innovista has attracted little private capital and the project remains largely uncompleted. The project currently lags three years behind its initial timetable for private development.
To date, more than $140 million has already been invested into Innovista, most of it state and local tax dollars.
Nearly four years after University of South Carolina leaders unveiled plans for the research campus, Innovista’s goals remain largely unrealized as a majority of the buildings constructed can’t even be completed for lack of funds. In mid-September 2009, USC president Harris Pastides said he remained committed to Innovista.
Problems with the project
In August 2009, the university fired Kale Roscoe, the second developer hired to build the private portion of Innovista. USC's Board of Trustees was unaware of Roscoe's 2002 felony conviction for federal tax evasion. Roscoe, a Michigan native, was brought in to jump-start development on the recommendation of Innovista director John Parks, who worked with Roscoe on the University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
’s Coldstream Research campus while Parks was director there. Parks resigned the following month.
At present, only the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health is actually operating out of Innovista. It occupies a $26 million building on Assembly Street in Columbia and also has space in the Discovery I building on Greene Street.
Both Horizon I and Discovery I are five-story buildings that are largely hollow shells. Discovery I does have the first and second floors completed, but floors 3-5 are unfinished and would likely take months before they would be ready for occupancy.
Still, Discovery I is considerably further along than Horizon I, which lacks even indoor plumbing. Both buildings sit unfinished because there aren’t funds to complete them.
In July 2009, it was announced that USC's Moore School of Business
Moore School of Business
The Darla Moore School of Business is the business school of University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1919, the Moore School has a special focus on international business. It currently enrolls over 4,800 students in degree-seeking programs...
would relocate into a new $90 million structure in Innovista.
A short time later, the university said its technology incubator would also be moving to the research campus.