Business Technology and Research Park

Office of Business and Finance
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5203 USA
(269) 387-2365

BTR North

Western Michigan University began development of the Business Technology and Research Park North—BTR North—in late summer 2019 thanks to a $2.1 million grant from U.S. Economic Development Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The grant provided funding for site development in the form of roads and utilities.

The new complex intends to attract and incubate new businesses and establish University, regional business and community partnerships. It will support research, economic development and new student opportunities.

The new venture continues the success of WMU’s Business Technology and Research Park 1, a 256-acre complex with similar goals. BTR 1 is now home to approximately 40 companies which provide more than 850 jobs. The park and its businesses have added close to $10 million in tax revenue for the city of Kalamazoo. Since its inception, BTR 1 has provided hundreds of internships for WMU students and counts 100 alumni among its employees.

Location

  • Adjacent to Western Michigan University’s $70 million College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
  • Two-hour drive from Chicago and Detroit near the junction of I-94 and U.S. 131.
  • Ten minutes from major airline service at the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport.
  • Chicago and Detroit are 140 miles from Kalamazoo, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Milwaukee are all within a 250-mile radius.

Community Partnership

The groundbreaking for BTR North followed more than three years of community engagement and partnership. Oshtemo Township has played a critical role in advancing BTR North by sharing the cost of the site design that led to the grant from U.S. Economic Development Administration, or EDA. "Oshtemo Township is excited to partner with Western Michigan University on the next phase of the Business Technology and Research Park, as it represents new opportunities for innovation and economic development in the Township and the Kalamazoo region"  said Township Planning Director, Julie Johnston.

Southwest Michigan First has been key to the success of BTR since its inception. “One of the things I am most proud of is our partnership with Western Michigan University through the BTR Park,” said Ron Kitchens, president of Southwest Michigan First and a WMU trustee. “It is one of the most successful university-based parks in the nation and I have no doubt that phase 2 will be equally successful in both filling the park with jobs and creating incredible partnerships between the companies and the university.”

The Road Commission of Kalamazoo County has also helped with the planning and been a partner in the development. The main road providing access to tenant properties in BTR North will be transferred to the road commission upon completion. The City of Kalamazoo has also been a critical partner in the success of BTR 1.

Conception of BTR North kicked off in 2015 and garnered extensive community input in 2016 and 2017. That input led to the design that was submitted and approved by the EDA for funding.

Planning for the park included a community advisory committee, discussions with the nearby neighborhoods, and public comment solicited through social media and a dedicated website. Input from these sessions led to design features that integrate the goals of the park with the natural features of the land.

  • A bee colony on the site was relocated to ensure it would not be disturbed.
  • A rare orchid on the property has been preserved in a buffer zone.
  • The property was assessed to ensure nesting bats would not be disturbed.
  • Diseased apple trees have been eliminated on-site and, great care was taken to ensure the illness did not spread.
  • The portion of the Asylum Lake Preserve that is near the property has been unaffected by the development due to a buffer zone that includes public access features like a boardwalk, observation platform, walking path and benches.
  • A buffer zone has been established to protect mature trees with trunks over six inches in diameter and create an oak savannah.
  • Native and low-mow turf seedings covers much of the green space.
  • The design and development has been conducted in a manner that allows it to be designated Sustainable Sites Certified, also known as SITES. SITES is a comprehensive rating system for developing sustainable land. It focuses on designing with sustainable soils, landscapes and water management strategies. Learn more about SITES at sustainablesites.org.

For more information on parcels for sale, please contact: Jodi K. Milks, CCIM, NAI Wisinski of West Michigan, (269) 207-1040 (m), @email