Infill Development and Research Parks: A Case Study Of The Piedmont Triad Research Park
Creators: name: Yeager, William
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2004

description: This case examines a relatively successful recent experiment with a downtown research park, the Piedmont Triad Research Park (PTRP). Winston-Salem, NC is one of a growing set of communities that have begun to innovate with generating infill development with research parks. This has been made possible by the rise of clean technology industries, such as biotechnology, software, and other high-tech industries which can be safely pursued within the central city. By first planning for and then placing infrastructure in the central city, and marketing for clean technology industries, these regions are positioning themselves for continued economic benefits. The Piedmont Triad Research Park is one of a handful of research parks1 that have been strategically located in their region's downtown, and it is "the first urban research park in the Southeast."2 It offers an excellent opportunity for gaining knowledge about this new approach to economic development. Winston-Salem, NC is like many cities across America. With a population of 185,000, it is the fourth largest city in North Carolina and has experienced job loss in the textile and manufacturing sectors due to corporate downsizing and restructuring. Winston-Salem is typical knowledge center. It is home to 5 institutions of higher learning including Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University, The North Carolina School for the Arts, Salem College, and Forsyth Technical Community College. The Piedmont Triad Research Park is benefiting from an association with these institutions, particularly its relationship with Wake Forest University which has recently taken financial responsibility for the day to day management and long term expansion of the park. Methodology There are three components to the methodology for this case of the Piedmont Triad Research Park: 1) A review of the relevant literature on research parks and downtown revitalization; 2) The sequence of events and actors involved with the creation of the PTRP; and 3) An examination of impacts of the PTRP up to this point. The literature review is based on texts and articles in the academic and professional community. The story of the park's creation is based on primary interviews with local leaders and policy makers, park employees, and park neighbors who were directly involved in the conception and formation of the park and the revitalization efforts of downtown Winston-Salem. The impacts of the park are examined using secondary economic data gathered from the US Census, a criteria system developed by Michael Luger and Harvey Goldstein in their 1990 book, "Technology in the Garden," and comments gleaned from my interviews. A case study is a close observation of one particular manifestation of the larger phenomenon under consideration. I am interested in the broad question of how cities can revitalize their downtowns, and I consider this question by researching the efforts of one city in North Carolina. While Winston-Salem has its own unique character, the economic shift away from manufacturing and textiles that it experienced in the mid 1980s has been experienced in other cities across the United States. I believe that the techniques used in Winston-Salem can provide lessons for these cities as they seek to breath new life into their downtowns. The paper will be organized according to the methodology with a discussion of relavent literature in Chapter 2, a description of the creation of the Piedmont Triad Research Park in Chapter 3, an examination of impacts related to the park in Chapter 4, and a summary of lessons learned in Chapter 5.