[ASU Diablo]

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2024/11/20/mayo-clinic-unveils-plans-discovery-oasis.html

Mayo Clinic is in talks with companies from all over the world that could locate their operations in its planned 120-acre biotech innovation hub.

While it's too early to reveal the names of the first companies planning to call Mayo's Discovery Oasis campus home, the location of the first project has been identified.

Aric Bopp, CEO of Discovery Oasis, said the first construction project will begin on the northwest side of the campus, closest to the 56th Street exit off Loop 101. That's the main entrance to the Mayo Clinic Hospital campus, which is just south of the Discovery Oasis development.

"People coming and going will be inspired by what we're doing at Discovery Oasis," Bopp said.

That northwest planning area encompasses about 37 acres, and Bopp expects the companies in "biotech, life sciences, health care innovation" and more will end up there.

Just to the east of that section is the north-central planning area, representing about 36 acres.

"We think that north-central area will lend itself to some lower density manufacturing type operations," Bopp said. "We're not talking smoke stacks and semi trucks, but medical devices."

That middle section will have lower profile buildings than what will be on either side, he added.

"We want to protect some of the view corridors from Loop 101 to Mayo Clinic Hospital," Bopp said.

The northeast planning section, which is along 64th Street and Loop 101, will encompass about 44 acres and most likely will be the last area to be developed.

"The reality is the northwest section is the size of the Skysong development in south Scottsdale — about 1 million square feet," Bopp said. "We all know and love Skysong. It took 20 years to develop. We will not be rolling out development in the northeast section any time soon. The focus will be on the northwest and potentially north-central."

However, if somebody really wanted to be along 64th Street, those options would be entertained, he said.

Campus will also include new Mayo hospital
Bopp and his team also are in negotiations to oversee development of the entire 120-acre campus. While the top three developer finalists have been identified, Bopp said he's hoping to select the winner by the end of the year.

Dr. Steven Lester, medical director for Discovery Oasis, said the team is getting interest on almost a daily basis from companies all over the world.

"There continues to be a strong level of interest," said Lester, who also is a cardiologist and health care futurist at Mayo Clinic. "It gives us confidence in what we're doing. Many have expressed a vision for Discovery Oasis independent of us that really helps to solidify that we're on the right track. It's reassuring to hear that type of external validation for the project."

In March 2023, Mayo Clinic submitted its zoning application with the City of Phoenix to develop Discovery Oasis.

By Oct. 18 of that year, Phoenix City Council unanimously adopted ordinances to move forward with the project, including one to rezone the site into a planned unit development.

That land is part of a 228-acre parcel Mayo Clinic won in an Arizona State Land Department auction in December 2021.

While 120 acres are dedicated to Discovery Oasis, the remainder is for other projects, including a 60-bed rehabilitation hospital to be jointly developed between Mayo Clinic and Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital.

That 80,000-square-foot rehab hospital near ASU Health Futures Center is expected to open in summer 2026 with $100 million bond financing from Phoenix Industrial Development Authority.