• Skip to Content
  • Skip to Sidebar
IU

Indiana University Indiana University IU

Crimson CatalystEngaging strategic partners. Connecting IU resources. Advancing Indiana’s economy.

MCROBBIE: TASUS expansion marks significant step in Bloomington, IU efforts to develop city’s Trades District & 10th Street Tech Corridor

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Bill W. Hornaday

15736-copy
Artist’s conception of Certified Technology Park in downtown Bloomington’s Trades District. (Image courtesy of City of Bloomington).

Wednesday’s announcement of the expansion of Tsuchiya Co. Ltd.’s North American headquarters in Bloomington means far more than bringing 18 new jobs to the local economy by 2020 and solidifying the Japanese auto parts maker’s presence in south central Indiana.

It also represents a significant moment in the long-term growth of Bloomington and Indiana University — not only through the steady development of its Trades District Certified Technology Park, but also by bringing the city a step closer to the rise of a “10th Street Innovation Corridor” that extends from the downtown Trades District along 10th Street to the state Highway 45/46 bypass on the Bloomington’s northeast side.

The expansion of TASUS (Tsuchiya Automotive Systems-U.S.) involves a $9.2 million investment to build a new headquarters and a research and development center — its first in North America — within the Trades District. TASUS, which is led by IU Trustee Melanie Walker, plans to break ground by 2018, with the new jobs added two years later.

In comments made during the announcement, IU President Michael A. McRobbie noted that the university has long been a supporter and partner in developing a technology park. As one example, he noted IU Vice President for Engagement Bill Stephan’s service on the advisory committee that guided development of a Certified Tech Park Master Plan. McRobbie also cited the work of IU School of Art and Design students, who developed branding materials to promote the Trades District and produced architectural layouts and renderings for tech offices and co-working space within the district’s Dimension Mill area.

Michael A. McRobbie
Michael A. McRobbie

“The successful development of the Trades District will aid the growth of startup firms and help make it possible for greater numbers of IU gradates and students to find jobs and internships here in Bloomington. Internships are particularly important in growing Indiana’s workforce, as they often lead to full time jobs that keep some of our best talent in the state. Our hope is that the Trades District will also encourage IU alumni to bring their companies back to Bloomington and facilitate their immediate connection with the local tech community.”

— IU President Michael A. McRobbie

While the Trades District will anchor one end of the 10th Street Innovation Corridor, the other will be anchored by the new IU Health Bloomington Hospital and an adjacent Academic Health Center that will allow IU to expand its health science education programs, McRobbie said.

“Situated in between — along the 10th Street corridor — are a number of hubs of innovation and entrepreneurship, including IU’s renowned and highly ranked Kelley School of Business and IU’s School of Informatics and Computing, where a new, state-of-the-art building, Luddy Hall, is currently under construction,” McRobbie said. “(SoIC) is home to IU’s new program in intelligent systems engineering. The program welcomed its first students this fall and is expected to make a major contribution to creating and sustaining a culture of ‘building and making’ on the Bloomington campus.”

The Trades District’s central location also makes it walkable from the IU campus and easy for students, faculty, and staff to use the space, McRobbie said.

“It will centralize all of Bloomington’s entrepreneurship support and service activities in one place — a model that has proven successful in other parts of the state, including in Evansville’s high-tech incubator, Innovation Pointe,” he said. “The presence here of such a well-established and successful company will undoubtedly help to attract many new and growing tech companies.”

Read more about the TASUS expansion here.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Filed under: Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, Faculty, International Engagement, Research, Staff, Students, UncategorizedTagged Bill Stephan, Bloomington Economic Development Corp., Economic Development, Higher Education and Innovation, Indiana University, Informatics and IT, Innovation, IU Council for Regional Engagement and Economic Development, IU-Bloomington, Kelley School of Business, Life Sciences, Michael A. McRobbie, Office of the Vice President for Engagement, Public Policy, School of Informatics and Computing, STEM (science, Workforce

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Additional Content

Innovate Indiana Button

Search Crimson Catalyst

Subscribe to the Crimson Catalyst Blog

Sign up to receive regular updates from Crimson Catalyst Blog

Please, insert a valid email.

Thank you, your email will be added to the mailing list once you click on the link in the confirmation email.

Spam protection has stopped this request. Please contact site owner for help.

This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

About Crimson Catalyst

Join us as we highlight how IU innovation is accelerating economic growth in Indiana and beyond.

Crimson Catalyst is maintained by the Indiana University Office of the Vice President for Engagement.

About the Authors

Bill Stephan
Tony Armstrong
David Gard
Kirk White
Joe Carley
Rebecca Carl
Steve Martin
Subscribe to Innovate Indiana’s Insights newsletter
Innovate Twitter Button
Innovate LinkedIn Button

Archives by Year

2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010

Categories

  • Alumni
  • Defense Partnerships
  • Economic Development
  • Engagement
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Faculty
  • International Engagement
  • IU Innovation and Commercialization Office
  • IU Regional Campuses
  • IU Research & Technology Corporation
  • IU Ventures
  • Research
  • Staff
  • Statewide Engagement
  • Students
  • Technology Commercialization
  • Uncategorized
  • Workforce Development

Celebrating 200 years

Indiana University

Copyright © 2018 The Trustees of Indiana University | Privacy Notice | Accessibility Help