Tech Town (Detroit)
Tech Town is an urban research and technology business park in midtown Detroit. The organization defines itself as "a community of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, service providers and corporate partners creating an internationally recognized entrepreneurial village in the city of Detroit."
Location
The 12 block, park is located on the border of two of Detroit's most viberant districts - Midtown and New Center. Located near the first US automobile production facilities, TechTown's surroundings have a great deal of automotive heritage. The Ford Piquette Plant - which churned out the first Model T - is a few blocks east of the research park.
The New Center area is anchored by Henry Ford Hospital and the State of Michigan's largest office outside of Lansing.
Midtown offers the most impressive cultural offerings in the region, with the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Science Center, Detroit Historical Museum, Charles H. Wright African American Museum, and Detroit's Main Library Branch clustered together. Nestled within this area is also one of America's preimer urban research institutions - Wayne State University.
Funding
TechTown was founded by neighboring Wayne State University, which provided intitial funding. The project has also been supported by other non-profit, corporate, and philanthropic organizations. In May 2008, the research park received a $625,882 grant from the Detroit Casino Development Fund.
National Recognition
In the past year, TechTown has welcomed two esteemed political figures to the research park - former president Bill Clinton and South African Ambassador to the United States Barbara Masekela.