Georgia Southern & Statesboro Want the University to Expand Downtown

The Statesboro City Council has approved a plan to partner with Georgia Southern University in expanding the school’s campus in downtown.

The agreement hinges on the awarding of a $1 million joint grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to the city and school for rehabilitating buildings in the downtown section of Statesboro.

According to a report in the Statesboro Herald, “This is truly a university and city partnership,” said Dr. Charles Patterson, the vice president of research and economic development at Georgia Southern. “The mission of the grant funding is to build upon the preincubation facilities currently located at the E-Zone, to really make this a full business incubation facility —which means dedicated offices, dedicated office suites for companies, access to our Bureau for Business Research and Economic Development and more robust incubation opportunities.”

Business incubation facilities are designed to promote economic growth, offering programs that support the development of entrepreneurial companies through access to various resources and services.

City Council agreed in May to move forward, along with Georgia Southern, in the grant application process to find funding for the expansion.