Now Entering Virginia’s Green Technology Corridor
Posted on May 9, 2007
Whether you knew it or not, if you are living anywhere off of I-81, from Smyth County to the Allegheny Highlands, you are a proud resident of Virginia’s Technology Corridor. You may have passed the signs along the interstate…
and enjoyed the irony of the cows welcoming you to the corridor.
No doubt, tourists passing through have also noticed the signs and snapped a photo with their camera phones. About 60,000 cars and trucks pass those signs every day.
The whole idea started before the turn of the century, back in 1993, when the New Century Council was formed to design a strategic plan for the future of our region. The Council established an ambitious vision:
In the 21st century the twelve-county, five-city area in western Virginia known as the New Century Region is:
• Among the most desirable places to live and work
• A world leader in public and private education
• Known statewide and nationally as Virginia’s Technology Corridor with a diverse, globally competitive economy with infrastructure linking the region and the world
• A model for America in leadership, regional cooperation, and decision-making based on the principle of sustainable development
The Council developed more than 150 strategies to achieve its goals, formed 33 volunteer teams to help implement them, and produced a mountain of research published in a series of reports called Vital Signs. In 1997, the Virginia General Assembly recognized the New Century Region for their regional cooperation and designated the region as Virginia’s Technology Corridor. The signs promptly went up on I-81 letting passers by know that they had entered a region that was on the cusp of greatness.
Ten years have passed since the signs went up. During that time, it seems we have been struggling to find a framework that promotes the kind of progress we envisioned. The New Century Council dissolved six months before the new century began. They passed the torch to the Center for Innovative Leadership and the New Century Technology Council. With the new century fully underway, the Region and the Technology Council changed their name to NewVa. Today, we are facing virtually the same economic hurdles we faced back in 1993.
However, we can’t say that we haven’t made progress. There is a burgeoning group of young entrepreneurs along the Technology Corridor that have been focusing on survival and waiting for the market to catch up. Virginia Tech has made great strides moving its way up the ladder of top research universities. And, even though it appears ironic, the fact that our technology corridor is green may not be such a bad thing. The guiding principal behind the New Century Council was sustainable development.
We have also been successful in defining specific clusters of technologies that could set us apart. There is a strong biotech cluster in the NewVa Region that is growing stronger with the cooperation between Carilion and VirginiaTech. Novozymes Biologicals, was the first company to locate in the Roanoke County Center for Research and Technology, located just over the hills from one of those Technology Corridor signs on I-81. We’ve also developed concentrations in opto-electronics, mechatronics, and nanotechnologies. There are centers of research at Virginia Tech to support those industries as well.
Maybe we just need to stop doubting ourselves and start recognizing how far we have come. Sure, we could look back at the vision of the New Century Council and declare failure. After all, in ten years, we have not become world leaders in public education. Nor have we become the model of regional cooperation. And, no, the world does not know us as NewVa or Virginia’s Technology Corridor. But, we have made a determined effort to adapt to the new economy without sacrificing our soul.
Today, it’s good to be green. The NewVa Region is perfectly positioned to make that our strength. The New Century Council was smart to focus on sustainability before global warming was a household topic. It may be good that you see unspoiled fields next to a Technology Corridor sign. After all, it’s a lot easier to attract companies that are developing green technologies to a place that is green.
So next time you drive down I-81, don’t laugh at the kind of progress we are making. Sometimes smart growth happens more slowly at first. As we see more success stories coming out of the region, more entrepreneurs and companies will consider our region a viable alternative. The recent story about our region’s first billionaire, who happened to be in the biotech industry, didn’t hurt a bit. There’s nothing to say that there aren’t dozens of people like R.J. Kirk with ideas as big as New River Pharmaceuticals living among us.
The New Century Council recognized the cynicism around them and challenged everyone living in the region to get behind a common vision. So, it’s fitting that their final Vital Signs report concluded with the following quote from none other than Dr. Seuss:
Unless someone like you
Cares a whole awful lot
Nothing is going to get better.
It’s not.
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