UM Life Science & Technology Park Finalizes Lease With Madrid, Spain-Based IT Firm Andago

Aug. 2, 2011 - PRLog -- The University of Miami Life Science & Technology Park’s (UMLSTP) evolution as a global hub for biotechnology, life science, and technology research has taken a significant step forward with the addition of Madrid, Spain-based information technology firm Àndago to its tenant roster. Àndago, which becomes the park’s first international tenant, has signed a lease for 3,500 square feet of office space in the park’s first phase 252,000 square-foot building, resulting in positive absorption for the Miami office market. The building houses wet and dry labs, offices, lab-ready development suites, and retail space – all intended to help knowledge-based research and product development teams foster innovation and commercialize technology for public use and benefit.

Àndago offers a full range of information technology products and services for companies and organizations in the healthcare and government sectors. The firm’s services include development of open technology and open-source software, information technology maintenance and training, and third-party consultancy. With offices already established in Panama, Spain and the United Kingdom, the firm’s expansion into the Miami market is its first foray into the United States.
With the park’s first phase now 58% leased and in receipt of a Certificate of Occupancy, tenants have already begun moving in. Àndago will join Community Blood Centers of South Florida, medical device firm Emunamedica, LLC, national intellectual property law firm Novak Druce + Quigg, medical device firm Daya Medicals, the University of Miami Tissue Bank, and the Enterprise Development Corporation of South Florida (EDC).

“Àndago’s decision to establish its U.S. foothold at the University of Miami Life Science and Technology Park reflects the unique value proposition that the Miami Health District offers tenants,” said Bill Hunter, Leasing Manager for the University of Miami Life Science and Technology Park.  “South Florida’s connectivity with Europe and Latin America, coupled with the park’s proximity to leading research and health institutes, makes the UMLSTP a natural entry point for knowledge-based companies from overseas.”

The UMLSTP’s advanced technology features were another determining factor in Àndago’s ultimate decision to locate in the Miami Health District. In addition to cloud computing data storage and management, the building is hardwired to downtown Miami’s Network Access Point of the Americas (NAP) data center, which offers direct, satellite-based connectivity to Latin America and Europe.

“The University of Miami Life Science and Technology Park opens up a world of opportunity for technology firms seeking to establish a U.S. presence and advance their work in a setting that will breed innovation among research and development teams as well as collaboration with the colleges and institutes at the University of Miami,” said James M. Tien, Ph.D., dean of the University of Miami’s College of Engineering. “Àndago is a prime example of a growing company that recognizes Miami’s potential as a technology hub and the new business opportunities that the Health District has to offer.”

The UMLSTP’s current master plan includes five buildings comprising between 1.6 and 2 million square feet of space at full build out. Beyond lab and office space, the park will contain restaurants and retail outlets to serve the Miami Health District and residents of nearby neighborhoods. The development of the park’s first building is projected to create more than 1,150 direct and indirect jobs, with an additional 2,700-plus direct and indirect positions created by ongoing operations, according to a recent study by the Washington Economics Group.

The park’s phase one building has been pre-certified as a LEED Gold® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) facility by the U.S. Green Building Council.

To learn more about the park or to inquire about leasing opportunities, contact Bill Hunter of Wexford Miami LLC at (305) 298-4578 or the Miami-based Jones Lang LaSalle team of Richard Schuchts, Catarina Jimenez and Gavin Macphail at umpark@am.jll.com or (305) 728-8999.

About the University of Miami Life Science & Technology Park
The University of Miami Life Science & Technology Park is a predominantly privately-funded endeavor developed by Wexford Miami, LLC, a subsidiary of Wexford Science & Technology, LLC, in collaboration with the University of Miami. Located in Miami’s Health District and adjacent to the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, the park will be home to best-in-class research facilities that bridge academia and industry, thereby fostering collaboration and innovation that positively affects people around the world. Development of the park will also make a direct impact on the South Florida economy, resulting in the creation of jobs and further diversifying the region’s economic landscape. UM LSTP is located on an 8.8 acre site bounded by Interstate-95 on the east, NW 7th Avenue on the west, NW 17th Street on the south and NW 20th Street on the north. Construction of phase one of the park began in late 2009 and is now completed, with tenants moving in during the summer of 2011.

About Àndago
Andago has been a reference in the use of Open Source software since its foundation in 1996. Headquartered in Madrid (Spain), the company invests 30% of its resources in R&D&i and has an Innovation Centers and offices in Bilbao (Spain), Cambridge (UK), Panama City (Panama) and Miami (US). The company follows an Open Innovation model and delivers state-of-the-art solutions for businesses and governments, providing interoperable ecosystems based on Open Source and PaaS technologies for Mobile Health, eGovernment, eTourism, and Smart Energy Systems. For further information please visit www.andago.co and follow @andago on Twitter.

About Wexford Science & Technology, LLC
Wexford Science & Technology, LLC is a Maryland based, privately held real estate developer and investment company that specializes in the planning, development, construction and sophisticated financial structuring of complex research space for non-profit clients including universities, university affiliated research parks, and healthcare systems and corporations. Please visit www.wexfordequities.com for additional information.

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