Frequently Asked Questions about the University Associates - NASA Ames Partnership
- What is the goal of this partnership?
- The partner institutions plan to establish a sustainable community for education and research at the NASA Research Park at Moffett Field. The goal is to create a prototype for an environmentally sustainable community and contribute to the economic vitality of the region, while providing a unique collaborative environment in which to deliver innovative education and research.
- What is University Associates?
The University of California, Santa Cruz, and Foothill-De Anza Community College District have formed a limited liability company called University Associates - Silicon Valley LLC, a nonprofit entity that will establish policy and oversee plans for the new community. In December 2008, University Associates signed a lease agreement with NASA for 75 acres of land at NASA Research Park.
Carnegie Mellon University and Santa Clara University were key partners in the development of the lease agreement with NASA and have participated in the planning of University Associates. San Jose State University has also been involved in the planning. Final decisions by CMU, SCU, and SJSU regarding participation in the partnership are pending.
- What are the partnership's plans for the 75 acres?
The partners envision the creation of an integrated community featuring state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories, shared classrooms, housing, accommodations for industrial partners, and modern infrastructure. The community will support the missions of NASA Ames and the academic institutions. It will also benefit the entire region through the creative reuse of an important Silicon Valley public asset. Industrial partners will be able to take advantage of the community's research and education capabilities and advanced infrastructure. Joint academic initiatives are planned in science, engineering, and management to keep Silicon Valley at the forefront of innovation and technology leadership. Development of the 75-acre site could occur only after completion of California Environmental Quality Act requirements and the approval of a development plan.- How will this benefit Silicon Valley?
The proposed research and education community will foster economic development through green technology innovation. It is positioned to harness and maximize the productivity of the Silicon Valley workforce by attracting industrial partners to the research community with programs and facilities uniquely tailored to their requirements. The synergy of industry and university researchers working together is expected to enable industrial partners to more quickly develop and bring to market technological innovations.
Silicon Valley is now the epicenter of the green revolution, and the community will provide a nurturing environment for green innovation, serving as a catalyst for expedited development of emerging technologies. A major focus of the community's research and education programs will be on the core issues of energy and sustainability.
- What will be built on the 75-acre site?
- As currently envisioned, the new community would feature state-of-the-art housing, research and teaching laboratories, classrooms, and work environments built on new ground-up infrastructure to form an integrated, sustainable community. Development of the 75-acre site could occur only after completion of California Environmental Quality Act requirements and the approval of a development plan.
- What would make this a "sustainable community"?
The community will deploy, evaluate, and demonstrate environmental sustainability. It will be designed as a system to have a minimal carbon footprint and will incorporate leading-edge environmental sustainability practices and technologies for energy generation, conservation, potable water management, water recycling, and waste management. The community will serve as a model site to deploy and validate new systems for renewable energy and resource conservation.
The community will take full advantage of existing Valley Transit Authority Light Rail at the site and its direct connection to CalTrain. Automated buses and other innovative people movers are envisioned to provide transportation alternatives complementing a pedestrian-friendly environment.
- Where will this be located?
- The area encompassed in the land lease is a section of the former Naval Air Station, Moffett Field, located near Highway 101, adjacent to the Shenandoah Plaza historic military quadrangle and the southern face of the soon-to-be-restored iconic Hangar One.
- What studies have been done to assess the potential impacts on local communities and the environment?
The partners are still at a preliminary stage in the planning. They are engaged in ongoing efforts to obtain community input and to determine how best to ensure that the development addresses community needs and is effectively integrated into the surrounding cities. Full evaluation and planning studies consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will be done before any development is undertaken.
Planning for the community will start with the approved Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared by NASA under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as part of the NASA Ames Development Plan (NADP). Under that plan, the 75 acres now leased by University Associates could support up to 2.9 million square feet of mixed-use development. Actual development will depend on University Associates and a master developer identifying an economically sound and environmentally acceptable plan. Plan approval would be subject to the requirements of CEQA.
- How is this project being financed?
The University Associates member institutions and other potential partners have invested funds to finance the initial planning stages. It is anticipated that much of the development will be paid for with private financing. The academic institutions plan to secure a "master developer," who will then attract the external capital investment required to complete the project.
UCSC has contributed 60 percent of the funds for feasibility studies and other preliminary planning efforts; Foothill-De Anza has contributed 20 percent; and Carnegie Mellon University and Santa Clara University, both potential partners in University Associates, have each provided 10 percent.
