Gwinnett County has announced a new innovation site, Rowen, which will be a catalyst for education, research, innovation and transformation through the creation of a global destination which recognizes stewardship of the land as the cornerstone of an inspired community. The site will feature 2,000 acres to develop medical, agriculture and environmental industries. Residing in Georgia’s Innovation Crescent, this area has long been the focus of innovation in Gwinnett County.
Anchored by the world’s most traveled and most efficient airport, with Atlanta on one end and the University of Georgia in Athens-Clarke County on the other, Georgia’s Innovation Crescent has quietly emerged as one of the leading innovation clusters in the nation. It boasts top research organizations such as the Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Georgia and Georgia State University; teaching institutions including Emory University and Morehouse School of Medicine, government entities and non-profits like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Cancer Society, and Institute for Healthcare Information Technology, plus more than 16,000 life science and technology companies, large and small. Georgia’s Innovation Crescent is both a geographic area and a coalition of more than 15 counties and economic development entities all dedicated to supporting innovation. Partnership Gwinnett and the Gwinnett Chamber have been intertwined since its founding in 2007.
“We wanted to see the 316 corridor thrive and by focusing our vision around medical, agriculture and environmental, we are playing to strengths of Gwinnett County and Georgia,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash. “This is not just a piece of real estate, the programming will make this special, as well as the partnerships it will create with public and private entities. This is another great asset in the economic development portfolio for the state of Georgia.”
Rowen means “second harvest.” Established on land that has been carefully stewarded for generations by local families, Rowen will be programmed in a way that remains true to the families’ connections to agriculture, medicine and natural environment.
“The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners is to be applauded for their ability to assemble 2,000 acres along State Highway 316. The development of Rowen will be a significant economic impact to Gwinnett County and the region for years to come,” said Tammy Shumate, Chair, Gwinnett Chamber Board of Directors. “With the end goal being to cultivate the entrepreneurial intersection of business and innovation with an active focus on the environment, agriculture and medicine, Rowen is expected to generate an estimated 18,500 jobs in the next 15 years and eventually as many as 100,000. This is incredible news for Gwinnett County.”
The result of this exciting announcement and long-term development is a re imagination of the traditional mixed-use, office and research environment that will change the economic and social trajectory of Georgia, the nation and with time, the world.
“Inspired by the future of Gwinnett, Rowen will have a transformation, multi-generational and significant impact,” said Nick Masino, President & CEO, Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett. “Chairman Nash’s leadership and vision is incredible and should be commended.”
Currently in the planning and partnerships phase, activity is slated to begin in Q4 2020 with construction of initial infrastructure starting in the next 12-24 months. This is not a typical build of a multi-use development or office park; rather cultivating a living community that is highly collaborative, inspiring, and accessible. With a 30-year projected full build-out, this community will be in a constant state of becoming, evolving in response to the needs of our societies and citizens.
“Rowen is a game changer for economic development and gives us the ability to bring in futuristic-focused companies as we continue to build out the knowledge community,” said Andrew Carnes, Vice President of Economic Development, Partnership Gwinnett. “Whenever we talk about economic development, our goal is to continue to build our community for our children and our grandchildren, and this gives us the ability to do just that.”