Georgia State University opens new 9-story Research Tower in downtown Atlanta
Georgia State University is celebrating the opening of its new Research Tower in downtown Atlanta.
The new tower, located off Decatur Street and next to the Petit Science Center and Research Science Center, is nine stories and 155,000 square feet.
On the building's first two floors, there are classrooms, a lecture space, and teaching labs. Further up are research spaces for faculty, including members of the university's Institute for Biomedical Sciences. The top floors remain open for possible expansion.
The university said that the facility is designed to support interdisciplinary collaboration, teaching, and cutting-edge research.
"The Research Tower is more than a new building. It is a launchpad for discovery," said Georgia State University President M. Brian Blake. "By investing in this facility, we are strengthening the path forward for our students, our research and our state. We're excited to see the progress this space will unlock."
The university says it has invested over $2 billion in research, with its annual expenditures nearly tripling since 2010.
"The Research Tower creates new opportunities for innovation and strengthens our ability to address the questions and challenges that matter most," said Donald Hamelberg, Georgia State's vice president for research and economic development. "It provides the space needed to support the ambition and creativity of our highly active research community."
Officials say they expect the new facility will also continue the university's role as a driver of economic growth in the metro Atlanta area. A study released by the University of Georgia in August said that Georgia State generated $3.8 billion in economic impact in the last fiscal year.
