One of the stated goals of turning Sacramento into a hub of innovation is to build out innovation districts within the city, expanding the revitalization that’s happening in downtown and midtown into other areas of the city that can become clusters of innovation. One of those areas that is on the cusp of some major new developments is the Power Inn Alliance improvement district.
The district is located in the southeastern quadrant of the city of Sacramento and is home to over 10,000 businesses that create over 29,000 direct jobs and produce over $3.2 billion in annual economic output. It serves as the city’s manufacturing core with over 62% of the city’s manufacturing base taking place in the 6.2 mile area.
Power Inn Alliance Property & Business Improvement District
A key component of the Power Inn district becoming an innovation hub is the Sacramento Center for Innovation(SCI). Originally adopted by the Sacramento City Council in December 2013, the Sacramento Center for Innovation Specific Plan implements the City of Sacramento’s General Plan and envisions the area as a hub for innovative business and clean technology industries, with the intent that it will be a prime destination for clean energy, green technology, bio-medical, bio-technology and other innovative companies.
The Sacramento Center for Innovation (SCI) is a 240-acre area that is designated by the City of Sacramento to foster the exchange of technical knowledge and expertise between students, faculty and innovative businesses and technology companies.
Responding to a city initiative, the SCI’s newest project, The Crossings, is a state-of-the-art student housing community that will include an 11,000-square-foot Innovation Lab as a central location for students, faculty and businesses to exchange knowledge, build connections and stimulate innovation. It will also offer space for retails shops, an eatery and convenience stores. Sacramento State, the largest single land owner in the SCI, has 25 acres to develop.
The team at Power Inn Alliance is key to bringing SCI to fruition and it is a big part of Director of Business Development Laura Fickle’s job. “We want to bring Sac State students and educators down into the Power Inn area, creating a space where creative collisions of innovation can happen,” remarked Fickle at a recent meeting. She is actively seeking innovative organizations to occupy the Innovation Lab and help to bring the vision of the area as an innovation hub to reality.
Check out the Power Inn Alliance website for more information about the Sacramento Center for Innovation. If you are part of an organization looking to be a part of a growing innovation hub in Sacramento, contact Laura Fickle at laura@powerinn.org.
