History
A Legacy
Innovation
Tech Park Arizona has a rich history of fostering innovation, collaboration, and economic growth. Founded with the vision of transforming cutting-edge research into real-world solutions, the parks have evolved into thriving hubs for technology-driven companies, university partnerships, and community development. Over the years, it has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of Southern Arizona and beyond, while staying true to its mission of bridging academia and industry to drive progress and prosperity.
1990s
1994
The University of Arizona took the bold step of acquiring the IBM campus and transforming it into a university research park to help commercialize University of Arizona-developed technologies.
1997
Vail High School offers classes on-site.
1999
NP Photonics – the Park’s first UA faculty-led company – begins operations.
2000s
2001
The Association of University Research Parks honored the UA Tech Park by naming it the top university research park in North America.
The Park’s 1.89 million square feet of leasable space is almost filled.
Economic impact study – Park houses 31 tenant companies that employ 5,949 of people, $49 million in tax revenue, and has a $1.87 billion total dollar impact.
2003
The UA Center for Innovation (UACI), a startup business incubator, was developed in the park to accelerate technology commercialization, helping entrepreneurs transform their ideas into successful companies. UACI opens with 4,500 square feet of office space and 8,000 square feet of lab space.
Building 9070, a new 70,000-square-foot multi-tenant building, was constructed and available for lease.
2007
Through a land swap agreement, the University acquired a second property closer to the main campus to develop a second research park, UA Tech Park at The Bridges
2010s
2010
Vail High School expands to include K-12 developing the new Vail Academy and High School site at the park
UA receives a $4.7 million grant from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, for infrastructure improvements. Infrastructure construction begins for the UA Tech Park at The Bridges.
2011
The UA Tech Park and Tucson Electric Power partnered to create the Solar Zone, a unique facility designed for testing, evaluation, and demonstration of multiple solar technologies. This collaboration enables side-by-side comparisons of solar technologies under identical operating conditions to advance innovation and optimize power generation.
2012
Julian Wash Greenway is developed as part of The Loop, a visionary project resulting from the collaborative effort between the City of Tucson, Pima County and the UA Tech Park. The Julian Wash Greenway features a three-mile, 65-acre linear park that runs north of the Solar Zone complete with a multi-use path, exercise stations and interpretive nodes.
2014
Phase One of the Solar Zone is completed making it one of the largest multi-technology solar demonstration sites at the grid level in the United States with ten companies testing and demonstrating a variety of solar technologies. The site was designed with the capacity to generate 25 megawatts of power, which is nearly twice the daily electrical consumption of the UA Tech Park.
2016
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was honored with the naming of the street M L KING JR Way at the UA Tech Park at The Bridges, just off 36th Street.
2019
Carol Stewart, a long-standing authority on research parks, appointed to lead the University of Arizona parks and incubator network. Stewart, Vice President, University of Arizona, is charged with directing Tech Parks Arizona – UA Tech Park at Rita Road, developing the UA Tech Park at The Bridges, and elevating the University of Arizona Center for Innovation.
Economic impact study – Park houses 100+ companies which employ nearly 6,000 of people, $52.8 million in tax revenue, $2 billion total dollar impact. The average wage is $66,900 which is significantly more than Pima County’s average wage rate of $45,706.
2020s
2020
Broke ground on vertical development at the UA Tech Park at The Bridges. Leading developer, Boyer Co, develops The Refinery, a four-story, 120,000-square-foot building in collaboration with Tech Parks Arizona. The name “The Refinery” symbolizes the cultivation of talent and innovation that can be mined from the University of Arizona.
2022
The Refinery building opens at the UA Tech Park at The Bridges. The Refinery, a multi-tenant building is an ideal space for small to mid-sized tech-focused businesses and organizations looking to co-locate with the University of Arizona’s expertise.
- University of Arizona Applied Research Corp., a UArizona-affiliated 501(c)3 organization serving national security contracts with U.S. Department of Defense leases 12,000 square feet of controlled-access space at The Refinery.
- Tech Launch Arizona, the commercialization arm of the University of Arizona, moves into The Refinery.
- The University of Arizona’s Office of Research, Innovation and Impact develops innovation space for students, faculty, and community.
- UArizona Online, Distance and Continuing Education moved to The Refinery, centralizing their offices by establishing dedicated classroom spaces, student lobbies, and sound resistant cubicles at the UA Tech Park at The Bridges.
- The University of Arizona’s Mission Integration Lab opened at the UA Tech Parks at The Bridges, a cutting-edge facility that allows researchers and students to develop and test high-altitude balloon technology, driving innovation in aerospace.
2023
University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) celebrates 20-year anniversary, a hub of innovation, growth and support for aspiring entrepreneurs and emerging businesses advancing technology innovation locally and globally.
UACI reports economic output of $35.3 million in 2021 and shows that UACI startups contributed $2 million in state and local taxes. Startups that went through UACI programming helped create 441 jobs, including 182 full-time equivalent jobs in the form of individual entrepreneurs, startup employees and contractors who were directly supported by the incubator. The report also found that nearly half – 46% – of UACI startups involve UArizona alumni, graduate students or innovations that originated from university research.
The economic analysis provides a snapshot in time based on data from the 52 startups enrolled in UACI in two different locations during 2021. The report also highlights UACI’s emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion; 62% of UACI startups are minority-owned businesses and 26% of all UACI startups are women-founded businesses. Nationally, only 6% of businesses in incubators are owned by women.
Eurofins CellTx, which provides comprehensive laboratory services to meet the unique testing and processing needs of the transplant community, opens new laboratory located at the University of Arizona (UA) Tech Park.
The University’s Park & Ride program (Cat Tran) adds route from UA Tech Park at The Bridges to U of A main campus. Cat Tran program provides transportation to and from, giving students easy access to internships, real-world research, and career-building opportunities.
SpringHill Suites by Marriott opens at the UA Tech Park at The Bridges operating a 126-all-suite hotel with food serves, bar, and meeting/conference areas.
2024
Arizona Public Media breaks ground on the new 61,500-square-foot building (Paul & Alice Baker Center for Public Media studio) designed to for technical production and broadcast technology, improved community engagement and new opportunities for increased original local content.
