University City Science Center

Urban research park in Philadelphia, United States

University City Science Center

Established| 1963[1]
President and CEO| Tiffany Wilson[1]
Address| 3675 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Location|

University City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Website| sciencecenter.org

The University City Science Center (UCSC) is an urban research park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.

It was established as the first and largest urban research park in the United States.[2] It was established in 1963, within the demolished Black Bottom neighborhood of Philadelphia, now known as University City.[3] Today it offers startup support services, allocates capital, gathers the innovation community, and builds inclusive STEM pathways for Philadelphia youth and adults.

An independent 2016 study reported that graduate organizations and current residents that have benefited from University City Science Center's business incubation services have created more than 12,000 jobs that remain in the Greater Philadelphia region today and contribute more than $13 billion to the regional economy annually.[4][5]

## Location

[edit]

University City Science Center on the Avenue of Technology on Market Street

The Science Center, in partnership with Wexford Science + Technology and Ventas, Inc operates a 27-acre campus called uCity Square, made up of 17 buildings along Market Street in University City, West Philadelphia. In 2015, the campus was re-branded to uCity Square. The campus is located near Drexel University, the University of Pennsylvania, University of the Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Wistar Institute. All but one building have been constructed in accordance with the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority.

## History

[edit]

The Science Center has engaged in formal business incubation since it opened its first shared facility in 2000,[6] followed by the Hubert J.P. Schoemaker Center for Technology Advancement in 2006[6] and 3711 in 2009. in 2016 the Science Center announced a strategic partnership[7] with Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) who took over management of shared office and lab space at uCity Square.

Launched in 2011, Quorum is a convening space for entrepreneurs and innovators throughout the region to convene, interact, network and exchange ideas. The modular space facilitates their ability to build knowledge and explore opportunities. In September 2018, Quorum moved from 3711 Market Street to 3675 Market Street where it tripled in size, totaling 11,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

According to University City Science Center: An Engine of Economic Growth for Greater Philadelphia, which was prepared by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, graduate firms that remain in the Philadelphia area produce $4.2 million in state income taxes and $22 million in Philadelphia city wage taxes every year.[8]

On May 28, 2010, the Science Center filed a lawsuit to stop the Philadelphia Development Authority from seizing two parcels of land in the 3800 block of Market Street when the Authority contended that the Science Center was in default of its development agreement in September, 2009.[9] The Science Center argued in its lawsuit that current economic conditions had delayed redevelopment, constituting an unforeseeable cause of the apparent default, and therefore should not be grounds for taking back the land. The dispute was ended in April 2012, when the two organizations amended the redevelopment agreement to allow more time for the Science Center to complete the development of its campus.[10]

In August 2012, the Science Center announced it was to begin development of its next parcel, a 272,700-square-foot building at the northeast corner of 38th and Market streets, to house outpatient medical facilities, ground-floor retail, and office and lab space for startup and growing companies.[11]

### Ownership

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The center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with 31 regional shareholders:[12]

* The American College
* Bryn Mawr College
* Burlington County College
* The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
* Delaware State University
* Drexel University
* East Stroudsburg University
* Haverford College
* Lafayette College
* Lehigh University
* Lincoln University
* Mercy Health System
* NUS America (National University of Singapore)
* The Penjerdel Council
* Pennsylvania Hospital
* Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
* Philadelphia University
* The Presbyterian Foundation for Philadelphia
* Rowan University
* Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
* Salus University
* Swarthmore College
* Temple University
* Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine
* Thomas Jefferson University
* University of the Arts
* University of the Sciences
* University of Delaware
* University of Pennsylvania
* Villanova University
* Widener University

## References

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1. ^ a b Space & Support for Start-Up and Established Companies. Sciencecenter.org. Retrieved on 2014-06-16.
2. ^ [1] Archived October 31, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ "The Long and Troubling History of Penntrification in West Philly."
4. ^ "University City Science Center's impact $9B, study says". 2009-09-14.
5. ^ 2016 study
6. ^ a b The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Tech incubator opens to fanfare. Thedp.com (2000-10-20). Retrieved on 2014-06-16.
7. ^ Caffrey, Michelle (December 1, 2017). "University City Science Center shifts focus ahead of move to new HQ". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
8. ^ Life-Sci Shops, Local Economy Boosted by Philly’s University City Science Center | BioRegion News. GenomeWeb. Retrieved on 2014-06-16.
9. ^ Russ, Valerie (2010-05-02). "Science center cites economy in bid to keep its land from city". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia Media Holdings, LLC. Archived from the original on 2017-10-26. Retrieved 2010-06-03. "The science center, based at 37th and Market streets, has filed a lawsuit to block the RDA from seizing control of two undeveloped parcels on the center's West Philadelphia campus."
10. ^ "Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, Science Center end dispute".
11. ^ "Science Center to construct building near Penn".
12. ^ Shareholder institutions

## External links

[edit]

* University City Science Center home page
* "Come to Where the Knowledge Is": A History of the University City Science Center

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