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2,000-acre ‘knowledge’ community breaks ground in Gwinnett 

by John Yellig

Backers say Rowen will provide more than 22 million square feet of lab, office and civic spaces alongside multifamily residences, cafes, start-up hubs, parks and trails. Courtesy of Rowen.

A recent groundbreaking and tree-planting ceremony launched work on an enormous 2,000-acre, nonprofit-led mixed-use community in Gwinnett County that backers say will bring almost 100,000 jobs and $8 to $10 billion of economic impact to Georgia. 

Rowen, as the development will be called, will be midway between Atlanta and Athens and aim to capitalize on the talent pool provided by the University of Georgia and Atlanta’s numerous higher-learning institutions, similar to North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. Upon full build-out, it will provide more than 22 million square feet of lab, office and civic spaces alongside multifamily residences, cafes, start-up hubs, parks and trails.  

“Rowen offers Georgia something it has never had before: a foundation-led site that will house all kinds of businesses driven by innovation,” Gov. Brian Kemp said at the Dec. 9 ceremony, which was attended by more than 150 local dignitaries. “This project both connects our universities physically and also connects their programs, their research and most importantly, their students. Because of the foresight of local and state leaders and the team at Rowen, Georgia and the world beyond will benefit from the ideas of the future in agriculture, environment and medicine that will originate here.” 

The first phase of the project, which has been more than two years in the works, will focus on “horizontal infrastructure,” such as sustainable streets, trails, sidewalks and utilities. The new roads will provide access to what will become Rowen Village, as well as medium- and low-density parts of the development. 

Rowen will be led by a board of governors with representatives from UGA, Georgia Tech, Emory University, Georgia Gwinnett College and others. For-profit and non-profit board leader and entrepreneur Sachin Shailendra will serve as chair. 

The first phase of the project, which has been more than two years in the works, will focus on “horizontal infrastructure,” such as sustainable streets, trails, sidewalks and utilities. Courtesy of Rowen.

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