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January
17, 2003
The Muskegon Chronicle
From local reports
The Muskegon Lakeshore SmartZone was honored by a Grand
Rapids business publication as the most significant
business development of the past year in West Michigan.
The Muskegon SmartZone - a high-tech business park on
Muskegon Lake designed to create and market alternative
energy devices - was named the Grand Rapids Business
Journal's "Newsmaker of the Year."
Recently named "Edison Landing," the business
park is a collaboration of Grand Valley State University,
the city of Muskegon, Siemens Corp. and a development
group of local attorneys from the Parmenter O'Toole
law firm. The initial thrust of the research and development
is to be on stationary fuel cells producing electricity.
The Siemens stationary fuel-cell technology will power
a new GVSU energy research center, the initial building
in the $50 million mixed-use development. The "office
building of the future" is a Steelcase Workstage
facility designed to be energy self-sufficient with
a fuel cell, nickel-metal hydride battery storage and
solar cells.
In making the Newsmaker of the Year presentation, Grand
Rapids Business Journal Editor Carole Valade-Copenhaver
said: "Certainly, ... (the SmartZone) in Muskegon
will profoundly impact this region for a long, long
time. These partnerships are forged in compromise and
demonstrated by those who are the best examples of leadership
in this region." Muskegon Mayor Steve Warmington
received the award on behalf of the city.
"We're pleased that Grand Rapids and West Michigan
are beginning to recognize what we call 'our little
piece of paradise,' " Warmington said. "We
realize it takes a team and teamwork to win a game like
this. Leadership and partnerships were really the key
to this whole cooperative effort." |
