August 2019
Newport News, VA

W. M. Jordan Company is pleased to announce that Building One @ Tech Center Research Park is officially open and 94% leased. The 81,600-square-foot building is the first of 10 planned for the 50-acre research park located at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Hogan Drive and adjacent to Jefferson Lab in Newport News.

Tech Center Research Park, developed by W. M. Jordan Company and Virginia Tech along with the City of Newport News, is part of a larger campus including Marketplace at Tech Center, with 250,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, and Venture Apartments Tech Center, a 300,000 square-foot multifamily residential community.

Building One @ Tech Center broke ground in August 2017. W.M. Jordan, city officials, business leaders, tenants and representatives from the Commonwealth celebrated the official opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 16. During the ceremony, W.M. Jordan announced plans for construction of the second building that will open in spring 2021.

“The level of response to this research park is exactly what we envisioned,” said John R. Lawson, II, executive chairman of W. M. Jordan Company. “We are attracting tenants that appreciate a connected and collaborative environment. The infrastructure was designed to help these businesses succeed. We are thrilled to bring the second building to the park with construction starting in spring of 2020.”

Major tenants of Building One include Gather that will occupy 27,000 square feet on the first and second floors. The office and coworking facility will accommodate over 300 members with shared or dedicated space. The company, founded in 2014 and based in Richmond, designs, builds and operates coworking, dedicated desks and private-office communities. With an all-inclusive price, members receive 24/7 access to Class A office space, amenities, Wi-Fi and utilities, social events and state-of-the-art meeting rooms. Gather recently ranked in the top 20% of the 2019 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing, privately held companies in America.

“Gather is thrilled to expand to Newport News and be one of the first companies to join Tech Center Research Park,” said Savannah Bolin, regional director of Gather Hampton Roads. “Whether you are a startup, freelancer or enterprise team, we have the right space for your business to thrive. Our partnership with Tech Center is about more than just office space; it’s about the connections that will be made for years to come.”

ivWatch, LLC, based in Newport News, occupies 25,000 square feet on the first and third floors with state-of-the-art manufacturing, research and office space, and a large medical setting used to conduct pre- and post-market clinical studies. The company provides medical biosensor technology that focuses on improving patient safety and the effectiveness of intravenous therapy.

ITA International occupies 9,600 square feet on the second and third floor along with its subsidiary ITA Data Analytics Center with an additional 4,600 square feet. ITA International provides integrated support services, which include analysis and planning, training, acquisition management, cyber intelligence, engineering, logistics and maritime support services to the government, military and nongovernment organizations and commercial customers across the world. ITA has more than 385 employees across 20 states and three foreign countries, with over 40 employees working at the new headquarters in Building One @ Tech Center Research Park.

“We are so excited about the innovative and collaborative nature of our hybrid open-office concept with a perimeter of private office space featuring glass windows to allow natural light into the space,” said Mike Melo, owner. “The connections with Virginia Tech will also be advantageous to our business.”

The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center and the Virginia Tech Outreach and International Affairs division occupy 5,000 square feet. Their goal is to create a business destination serving entrepreneurs looking for a collaborative environment of research, innovation and support services. Additionally, they will promote collaboration between professional service providers, research and development firms and science and technology companies. They will also encourage the expansion of existing businesses, attract new businesses to the City of Newport News, particularly new and startup science and technology companies, and support or complement research-related activities being conducted on the adjacent Jefferson Lab campus.

Tenants in Building One @ Tech Center Research Park have access to VT Knowledge Works, a business acceleration program, videoconferencing, conference rooms, research-grade internet speeds and networking events. The location of Tech Center Research Park in Newport News’ Enterprise Zone includes economic and business incentives. The research park master plan includes walking and bike trails and access to all of the amenities at Tech Center.

When complete, the $450 million Tech Center Research Park will comprise 850,000 square feet on 50 acres. The concept is a hybrid that fuses the best components of today’s research parks and innovation districts to create a new, unique environment.

“Building One symbolizes the beginning of what will be an innovation powerhouse in Newport News,” said Mayor McKinley L. Price, DDS. “New and emerging companies will thrive in an environment backed by the strength of Virginia Tech, Jefferson Lab and their network of entrepreneurial resources.”

Tech Center is projected to create more than 5,500 new jobs in Newport News, half of them in the highest paying employment sector – professional, scientific and technical services – according to the Economic Impact Study by Magnum Economics.

“We’re excited about Building One because it represents the birth of new small businesses. Not only will they have a place to call home, but they will also be in a welcome environment, surrounded by opportunities for collaboration and support from the City,” said Florence G. Kingston, director of development for Newport News.

Tech Center Research Park also leverages the presence of the Jefferson Laboratory’s high-tech scientific and technical workforce and the international user community it serves. Additional benefits are the proximity to other national corporate, research and defense entities including NASA Langley Research Center, Langley Air Force Base, Canon, Alion Science and Technology, C² Technologies and Triumph Aerospace Systems, in addition to numerous colleges and universities.

Colliers International oversees leasing for Tech Center Research Park. For leasing information, contact Perry Frazer, managing director of Colliers International’s Norfolk office, at perry.frazer@colliers.com or call 757-228-1833.

W. M. Jordan Company, headquartered in Newport News, was founded by Robert T. Lawson and William M. Jordan in 1958. The company provides construction management, design-build, development, virtual construction, sustainability and contracting services to a diverse clientele in Virginia and the Carolinas. W. M. Jordan Company’s customer and employee-focused business model is defined by its guiding philosophy of “The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence,” which requires continuous creativity, innovation and improvement.

Photo Credit: Marilen Crump / ARTINSPIRED