|
BANNING,
Calif. -- Ford
Motor Company has cleared the way for construction to begin on
its property in a small, southern California town. The Dearborn,
Mich.-based automaker gave the City of Banning permission to build
a new science and technology center on its land. The new structure
will be built from the ground up and will feature 50,000 square
feet of space. It will be located at 226 S. 22nd Street, just
south of Interstate 10.
The
Ford Leasing Development Co. gave this 7.78-acre piece of vacant
land to the city of Banning in December 1997. The land comes with
a 30-year stipulation that requires the property to be used only
for "non-commercial, public service" purposes.
"Ford
Leasing has received your request to use the property described
in the Grant Deed for use as the Banning Science & Technology
Center," said a letter dated Feb. 13, 2012 from Ford Motor
Co. to the city of Banning. "Ford Leasing has also reviewed
the Business Plan for Fiscal Years 2011-2018 from the Banning
Science & Technology Center, Inc. Ford Leasing is in concurrence
that the Science & Technology use proposed for the property
is in accordance with the terms of Article I use of the Premises
of the Grant Deed."
The
Banning City Council unanimously approved the exclusive negotiations
agreement between the city of Banning and the Banning Science
& Technology Center, Inc. by five votes to zero. It was one
of nine consent items on the agenda at the meeting on Tuesday
evening.
"It's
a very exciting development that will open up the south side of
our city," Banning Mayor Don Robinson said. "We're divided
by the I-10 freeway and this would be on the south side of that.
We have industrial and some homes over there and of course, our
airport is on that side, but really nothing to draw the people
to the south side of Banning. This will do that. We need to get
the 145,000 people that pass by here everyday here to stop for
something more than just food and hotels."
The
Banning Science & Technology Center will include a biology
lab, book store, gift shop, bus barn, conference rooms, electronics
lab, indoor and outdoor exhibit space, a kitchen, offices, a planetarium,
a reception/gathering area a wide screen theater and stage and
a workshop.
"There
will be an Earnest Negotiation Agreement called an ENA that will
be worked out between city staff and the developers of this science
center," Robinson added. "Once that is determined and
all of those little details are worked out, then we will do a
Disposition and Developers Agreement. It's called a DDA. Then,
we'll go into an actual lease payment arrangement at that time.
We'd like to see it happen as soon as possible. Usually, instruments
like this take about six months to a year. We could see shovels
in the ground at the first part of next year."
It
is expected to take one year to get all of the entitlements and
permits passed. Construction is expected to take about a year
so the center would have its grand opening in about two and a
half years from now.
"The
main thrust of the program is to give people the information that
they need to live and work in the 21st century," said Henri
V. De Roule, the founder and CEO of the Banning Science &
Technology Center. "It will be a little over half exhibits,
the rest will be laboratories, where students can come in and
build their science projects under teacher, staff and volunteer
tutelage. We will also have a theater, about 100 seats. Teachers
can use it for their classes and bring them in to go see an exhibit.
We'll run science films there as well."
About
1.7 million people are expected to visit the Banning Science &
Technology Center once it opens. It will attract visitors from
Riverside to Palm Springs.
"We
also are going to have a planetarium," De Roule added. "As
it turns out, neither Mt. San Jacinto nor UC Riverside nor College
of the Desert have a planetarium. They're all within our service
area. They will be helping us attain funds in exchange for the
use of the facility. Our science center has already been approved
by Ford. We're hoping to get them as one of the sponsors. We'd
like them to be one of the major sponsors. We will make that contact
in the next 30 days or so. Donations are more than welcome."
The center
will serve the public providing informal education opportunities
for students aged 8 through 20, senior citizens and all other
members of the public.
For
more information about the Banning Science & Technology Center,
visit www.thescienceexperience.org.
Related
Story: Attendees
enjoy 3rd Annual Taste of La Quinta fundraiser
Graphic
credit: Ford Leasing Development Company, LLC
A
letter dated Feb. 13, 2012 from Ford Motor Company to the city
of Banning, Calif.
PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
A
look at the Banning City Hall
PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
Banning
Science & Technology Center Founder and CEO Henri V. De Roule
addresses the Banning City Council.
PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The Banning
City Council unanimously approved the exclusive negotiations agreement
between the city of Banning and the Banning Science & Technology
Center, Inc.
| PREVIOUS
PAGE |
:::
PAGE ONE ::: |
|
