USTAR to open new building on USU campus

NORTH LOGAN — USTAR will open a new facility — the "BioInnovations Building" — at Utah State University on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1:30 p.m.

The 110,000-square-foot building, which will house three USTAR innovation teams, was completed within its three-year schedule and within its $60 million budget. The facility is the only nonmilitary structure in the state with an enhanced Bio Safety Level 3 lab and also is designed as a LEED Gold facility.

Gov. Gary Herbert, Zions Bank CEO Scott Anderson, USU Provost Ray Coward and Ned Weinshenker, USU's vice president of strategic ventures, will join several USTAR researchers and university staffers to celebrate the official opening of the building.

Tours will be available after the ribbon-cutting at 650 E. Grand Ave. in North Logan.

USTAR (the Utah Science Technology and Research initiative) is a state-funded effort involving USU and the University of Utah to create innovation teams and research that will produce new technologies that can become part of commercial and business ventures.

— Linda Thomson