CSUN, FIRM SEEK OK FOR BIOTECH SITE.Byline: Eric Leach Daily News Staff Writer Officials from CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge and a Sylmar biotechnology company asked Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. City officials Monday for approval of plans for a multimillion-dollar biotech complex set to start construction on the university's north campus next year. Speakers at a public hearing on the project in Sherman Oaks Monday praised the proposal, although one Northridge woman wanted to make sure lights and traffic would not negatively affect her neighborhood. ``What's nice about this is it's not controversial,'' said Daniel Kahn, a spokesman for Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. and business development representative for L.A.'s Business Team. ``Los Angeles needs this type of industry,'' Kahn said. ``One wonderful thing is it's clean - environmentally friendly. This means more high-paying jobs for the people of this city.'' Representatives of the Northridge Chamber of Commerce, the United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. and Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley spoke in favor of the project at Monday's hearing before Frank Paraello, a officer for the Los Angeles City Planning Commission. He will make a recommendation to the commissioners at their meeting in Sherman Oaks on May 14. Walter Prince, who is chairman of the planning and land use committee of the Northridge Chamber of Commerce, called the biotech project a win-win situation. ``We're delighted by the proposal,'' he said. ``The college did exactly what the community asked for. It will bring jobs to the community and will bring internships and other opportunities for the students. For the economy of the Valley, it's really super.'' The complex will be built under a joint venture between California State University, Northridge CSUN offers a variety of programs leading to bachelor's degrees in 61 fields and master's degrees in 42 fields. The university has over 150,000 alumni. It's also home to a summer musical theater/theater program known as TADW (TeenAge Drama Workshop) that leads teenagers through an , and Sylmar-based MiniMed Inc., a firm founded by entrepreneur Alfred E. Mann Alfred E. Mann (born 1925, Portland, OR), who is also known as Al Mann, is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is a billionaire. Born and raised in Portland, his father was English and mother Polish. , an educational philanthropist who has pledged $100 million donations to USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. and UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX . MiniMed is one of the nation's leading producers of insulin infusion pumps for diabetics. In the first phase, MiniMed plans to produce glucose sensors and monitors, and later move its insulin pump insulin pump n. A portable device for people with diabetes that injects insulin at programmed intervals in order to regulate blood sugar levels. operations to the Northridge site in later phases. ``Mayor Riordan supports this for a number of reasons,'' Kahn said. ``It's the type of private-public project the mayor likes, and it offers an educational component to the CSUN students.'' Under the arrangement with MiniMed, students and faculty would be able to participate in joint research projects and internships, and use the MiniMed facilities for education-enhancing activities. ``Everyone is working together to make this happen,'' Kahn said. The MiniMed insulin pump ``is a phenomenal piece of equipment that is improving people's health and thereby extending their lives,'' he said. The biotech complex would be built on about 28 acres of the 65-acre north campus. The size of the entire CSUN campus is about 353 acres. University officials are reserving the rest of the North Campus land for as yet unspecified entertainment-oriented development that will complement the university's education programs. CAPTION(S): map Map: CSUN development Daily News |
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