Uptown Bay City Project Will Serve As New Location for Entrepreneurs while Fostering Job Creation & Investment in Local Economy

Central Michigan University Research Corporation to assist advanced technology businesses in the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Central Michigan University Research Corporation (CMURC) expansion into Uptown Bay City will give entrepreneurs and businesses across the region access to growth and job creation resources that have the power to boost the economy. The 5,000 square feet will feature coworking, flexible work space, board room, kitchen and corporate partner VIP room while also providing tenants access to a team of service providers that aid in business development. There will also be collaborative opportunities with business experts to give entrepreneurs a chance to exchange ideas and solicit advice. CMURC will locate in the 35-acre waterfront development, by Shaheen Development, with global corporations and local companies.

“The vision of Uptown Bay City and CMURC perfectly align. Both organizations are dedicated to the growth and development of the Great Lakes Bay Region, embracing an entrepreneurial spirit to inspire future leaders,” said Samuel Shaheen, M.D., president and CEO of Shaheen Development and construction partner of CMURC. “At Uptown, CMURC’s clients will be surrounded by additional world-class organizations such as The Dow Chemical Company, Michigan Sugar, McLaren Bay Region and more than $100 million in investments to date. We are thrilled and honored to welcome a visionary leader, Erin Strang, and her dynamic CMURC team to Uptown Bay City.”

The team works with local businesses, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and Central Michigan University to harness and make available the intellectual, technological and material resources that help businesses thrive.

Since its inception, CMURC has been the ideal environment for growing or establishing a business. CMURC is more than a space in which to work. CMURC provides:

•     Ideation and commercialization programs that build the foundation every entrepreneur needs,
•     Entrepreneurial insight,
•     Networking experiences that provoke sharing and deal flow,
•     Scalable facilities, and
•     Experiences that foster connections and growth.

“CMURC is true to its tagline of ‘accelerating business’ by offering a variety of space and programming for local Bay City entrepreneurs to nurture their creative projects throughout all stages of development,” said Erin Strang, CMURC president and CEO.

CMURC partners with professionals that entrepreneurs need, including but not limited to, graphic designers, lawyers, accountants and engineers, allowing them to grow their business. Over the past three years, entrepreneurs at CMURC have launched a variety of companies–resulting in over an $18 million injection into the Great Lakes Bay Region’s economy.

Located along the Uptown riverfront, the 90,000 sq. ft. mixed-use Uptown Place building features both commercial and retail opportunities. The first floor Galleria will feature a selection of unique retail, food, and restaurant opportunities in a covered arcade, while floors two through four feature a diverse portfolio of commercial space.

“Expanding to additional locations will allow us to best serve the region,” said Strang.

For more information about CMURC’s expansion, programs and spaces, please visit: http://www.cmurc.com.

About CMURC:

About Central Michigan University Research Corporation: CMURC is a nonprofit business incubator focused on advancing economic development in the community by leveraging the resources of Central Michigan University, the Mount Pleasant SmartZone, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s 21st Century Jobs Trust Fund.  Local, regional, and statewide partners assist to accelerate the success of entrepreneurs, growing businesses, and jobs.  CMURC is a single source of contact providing physical space and essential business services.  CMURC encourages interaction and partnerships, which accelerates emerging organizations to develop their ideas and bring them to market quickly.