ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Mayo Clinic announced the next major step in realizing Destination Medical Center's (DMC) vision of creating Discovery Square, a first-of-its-kind urban bioresearch campus that brings together renowned physicians, researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs to address unmet patient needs in an ultramodern setting for science innovation. Mayo Clinic is initiating a process to identify a strategic real estate development firm to expand its Rochester, Minnesota, campus by building more than 2 million square feet on Mayo Clinic-owned land as research, commercial and product development space over the next 20 years. This is in addition to Mayo's current research footprint in Rochester of 1.3 million square feet. Discovery Square, which will include Mayo and other private businesses, is a key milestone for DMC, the largest public-private partnership in Minnesota state history, and one of the largest economic development initiatives in the U.S.
"At Mayo Clinic, we feel that we have a responsibility to bring forward discoveries that will deliver hope and better health to people around the world," says John Noseworthy, M.D., Mayo Clinic president and chief executive officer. "There is no better way to stimulate innovation than through collaboration, which has been part of the Mayo culture for over 150 years. We're looking forward to welcoming businesses, medical innovators and researchers from around the world to Discovery Square who will work together to accelerate advances in bioscience, research, education and technology for health and wellness."
Mayo Clinic is unique in its research model of collaboration, which has roots as far back as its founders, the Doctors Mayo. In 2015, Mayo started 2,723 new human studies and the same volume is projected this year. Mayo research was published in 7,305 peer-reviewed journals. Mayo Clinic's total research budget in 2015 was more than $662 million. This total includes $281 million of Mayo-based funding and $381 million of external funding.
Discovery Square, and its close proximity to Mayo Clinic, will provide an urban experience that supports a unique environment for community amenities, collaborative culture and an innovative ecosystem.
"Discovery Square is at the heart of the DMC mission to make Rochester America's city for health," says Minnesota Lt. Governor Tina Smith, DMC Corporation board chair. "Mayo Clinic's decision, announced today, to invest in new bioscience innovation, will encourage additional national and international investment in Rochester. It will spur job creation and diversify the economy in Rochester and southeastern Minnesota. This is exactly the kind of transformational project we created the DMC to accomplish, and it represents significant progress toward our goal of transforming Rochester and Minnesota into world-class destinations for health and wellness."
With construction slated to begin in 2017, the first of several Discovery Square buildings is anticipated to be completed within two years. Discovery Square is a six-square-block area that is one of six DMC sub-districts in the DMC Development Plan catalyzing densely organized, mixed-use neighborhoods made up of life science businesses, new start-ups and residential options anchored by signature spaces.
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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/.