WestGate @ Crane Development Co. recently broke ground on a new $4 million facility for Science Applications International Corp in the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park. The Fortune 500 defense company represents one of the largest civilian contractors for the nearby $2 billion Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC). SAIC will add approximately 75 new jobs to its current high-tech workforce in south central Indiana.

The WestGate @ Crane Technology Park developers also broke ground during the announcement for an additional 16,800 square feet of high-tech office facility that will serve as a business incubator and accelerator for startup companies or existing companies engaging in defense-related business with NSWC Crane.

The developers are currently involved in negotiations with three companies to locate in the facility and provide defense-related services to Crane, initially adding 25-50 new employees.

The WestGate @ Crane Development Co. is expected to invest more than $35 million of private equity over the next 24 months for initial design and construction of the tech park.

“As the tech park grows, we have every reason to believe that it will become a nationally recognized asset that adds real value for the defense community,” said Dale Ankrom, a WCDC partner. “The WestGate’s location directly outside of Crane will enable high-tech commercial operations to work closely with federal engineers and scientists on the base.”

SAIC will occupy the new 37,800 square foot, two-story facility in the second quarter of 2008. SAIC’s current Bloomfield operations provides engineering, logistics, information technology, and programmatic support across many Crane organizations.

“SAIC is proud to have such a strong presence in the state of Indiana, and be an integral part of Team Crane and the southwestern Indiana community,” said Tom Baybrook, SAIC senior vice president and general manager of the Naval and Maritime Solutions business unit.

An economic powerhouse in south-central Indiana and the U.S. Navy’s third-largest physical base, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane) contributes more than $1.7 million a day into the Indiana economy. Additionally, NSWC Crane annually contracts out an additional $700 million in services beyond the borders of the state.

As it comes online with new buildings, research and development facilities, and high-tech secure warehouses later this year, the WestGate Technology Park is ideally situated to bring more of that potential back into Indiana.

As the third largest employer in Southern Indiana, NSWC Crane employs approximately 5,000 scientists, engineers and technical professionals from three states and 40 Indiana counties.

“Given its location next to NSWC Crane, the WestGate Technology Park is in an ideal location to develop synergies with on-base research and development operations,” said Ankrom.

Certified as the state’s only three-county Certified Technology Park by the Indiana Economic Development Corp., the WestGate is a natural marketplace for defense contractors currently providing technical support and research and development services to the base. Currently EG&G, a subsidiary of the $2 billion URS Corp., is already located in the park.

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