BTR Park
About the Park
Focus
The focus of the BTR Park is on the development of mutually beneficial relationships that involve resident businesses, the University and the Kalamazoo community. The private-sector firms that locate at the park are recruited from three key business sectors—life sciences, advanced engineering and information technology.
Synergy
The BTR Park is located on WMU’s 265-acre Parkview Campus, which also is the home of WMU’s highly regarded College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The proximity to the college and the University's campuswide commitment to the three areas of focus mean opportunities abound for businesses to interact and partner with the faculty and students of one of the nation’s largest major research universities. The collaborations that result can range from nanotechnology and environmental research to initiatives in manufacturing engineering or the development of new products in the pharmaceutical arena.
The BTR Park is also home to two important resources.
- Southwest Michigan Innovation Center, a state-of-the-art high-tech/wet lab business incubator, which was launched by the regional economic development agency Southwest Michigan First
- Biosciences Research and Commercialization Center at WMU, which provides commercialization expertise and research support to emerging life sciences ventures
Companies
In less than five years, up to 30 private-sector businesses have been attracted to the BTR Park — 16 life-science companies, 12 advanced engineering firms and two information technology companies.
Of these businesses, eight have constructed their own facilities and 16 have had laboratory and office space in the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center.
More than 85 percent of the 137-acre BTR site have been developed, are under construction or are under option.
Access
The Parkview Campus sits along U.S. 131 just north of the I-94 interchange. It is located about 3.5 miles from WMU’s main campus and approximately five miles from downtown Kalamazoo.
Infrastructure
As a SmartZone, a portion of the tax revenues generated by resident companies is returned to the project for infrastructure upgrades.
That figure exceeds $500 million annually.
Distinctions
The BTR Park was designated Michigan SmartZone of the Year in 2002.