For Immediate Release

Fitchburg, Wisconsin

Town Center Phase I - A Signature Project Breaks Ground in the Heart of Fitchburg

Orion Seven will break ground August 24 on Town Center - Phase One, a mixed-use development at Fitchburg Center in which a 7-acre prairie serves as the centerpiece and inspiration. The project will feature three buildings, totaling 84,000 square feet, connected by skyways. Promega Corporation will occupy 62,000 square feet of office space, while the remaining 22,000 square feet will be comprised of retail space. The exterior of the building will use classic materials that reflect a lasting design including clay-tile roofs, cedar siding, expansive windows, copper elements, and extensive stone masonry on the arches, towers and columns. The buildings will offer panoramic views of the adjacent prairie. Outdoor gathering areas will link the building to the landscape, and take the form of natural aphitheaters, patios, walkways, and seating areas. The municipality and environment will benefit from a 244-stall publically accessible underground parking facility, partially funded through TIF financing, allowing the project to blend beautifully with the site and protecting greenspace surrounding the project. “This is a project that will stand the test of time for the next 100 to 200 years. The inherently flexible floor plan and quality materials were chosen to realize that goal.” said Bill Dalrymple, Managing Director, Fitchburg Center. The project will carry a price tag of nearly 22 million dollars.

The community-focused design will have strong visibility and easy access along East Cheryl Parkway, just east of Fish Hatchery Road. A dual-purpose piazza connecting the existing Agora Pavilion (Home of the Fitchburg Farmers Market and Summer Concert Series) to the new project will provide additional parking and expanded space for community activities. Good street presence, a beautiful setting, plenty of parking, and competitive lease rates make the retail component very desirable. The goal is to recruit destination-type retail which may include a day spa, restaurants, art gallery, and coffee shop/bakery.

This project is part of a lengthy planning process that involved extensive collaboration with the City of Fitchburg and Promega Corporation. The entire community will benefit from the development as Promega expands its manufacturing, and R & D space on the existing campus, with an expected addition of over 100 employees over five years, bringing highly skilled employees to the Fitchburg Area. “The City of Fitchburg is delighted to partner with Promega Corporation, Wisconsin’s leading biotechnology company, to help them expand their headquarters,” stated Mayor Tom Clauder. “This development accomplishes our economic development objectives by assisting one of our major employers expand and also incorporates our planning vision for underground parking and protecting the environment. This expansion by Promega promises to be a signature project within Fitchburg Center.” Promega Corporation is a leader in providing innovative solutions and technical support to the life sciences industry. The company’s 1,200 products enable scientists worldwide to advance their knowledge in genomics, proteomics, cellular analysis, molecular diagnostics and human identification. Founded in 1978, the company is headquartered in Fitchburg with branches in 12 countries and 55 global distributors. Annual sales exceed $175 million.

The planning for this phase of the project began over two years ago with architect Peter Tan of Strang, Inc., with consultation provided by: Gary Cudney of Carl Walker Parking Consultants; John Harrington of the UW Landscape Architecture Dept.; and Danny Kahrs of Yakshi Landscape. The general contractor will be Kraemer Brothers of Plain Wisconsin.

Fitchburg Center is an established mixed-use community located on over 400 acres of prairie, forest, and wetlands offering sites that integrate high technology businesses with civic, retail, educational, and residential uses. Quality design, protection and enhancement of the environment, community and sustainability are the guiding principles of the Fitchburg Center vision. It is also home to Berbee Information Networks, Bruker AXS, CUES, The Wisconsin Hospital Association, Locus Inc., SprintPrint, Fitchburg City Hall and Community Center, UW Health Fitchburg Clinic, EAGLE School and The Don and Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center.

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