How Mesa Became a College Town
2018 IEDC Annual Conference - October 3, 2018
William J. Jabjiniak, Economic Development Director
Power Point Presentation (23)
______________________________________________________________
College Attainment Rates
Mesa 25.63%
Maricopa County 30.97$%
State of Arizona 27.95%
Leveraging our Assets The Investment
• City invested more than $17 million to renovate three vacant, city-owned buildings in Downtown Mesa.
• 85,000 sq. ft. of unused space converted into state-of-the-art educational facilities
> Mesa Center for Higher Education
Renovation of a vacant City Court building in Downtown Mesa
> Then: Southside Hospital
Now: Benedictine University at Mesa
> Then: Vacant Hotel Alhambra
Now: Alhambra Residence Hall
Economic Impact
BenU awards approximately $2.5M in scholarship funding per year
Created 60 net new full-time jobs (college and university faculty & staff) Contributed more than $6.5 million of new private investment;
City invested $17 million
Enrolled 530 students on campuses
Occupied 85,000+/- sq ft of long-term vacant space
BenU generates approximately 600 hotel room nights per year
Outcomes What’s Worked / Accomplishments
• Put Mesa on a national stage for innovation in economic development, government and public/private partnership
• City has beautiful, repurposed space
• Benedictine University has grown to 13 athletic programs
• Growing need for student housing
And the story continues… How Mesa Became a College Town
> https://www.iedcevents.org/Downloads/Conferences/Annual_18/jabjiniak.pdf
2018 IEDC Annual Conference - October 3, 2018
William J. Jabjiniak, Economic Development Director
Power Point Presentation (23)
______________________________________________________________
College Attainment Rates
Mesa 25.63%
Maricopa County 30.97$%
State of Arizona 27.95%
Leveraging our Assets The Investment
• City invested more than $17 million to renovate three vacant, city-owned buildings in Downtown Mesa.
• 85,000 sq. ft. of unused space converted into state-of-the-art educational facilities
> Mesa Center for Higher Education
Renovation of a vacant City Court building in Downtown Mesa
> Then: Southside Hospital
Now: Benedictine University at Mesa
> Then: Vacant Hotel Alhambra
Now: Alhambra Residence Hall
Economic Impact
BenU awards approximately $2.5M in scholarship funding per year
Created 60 net new full-time jobs (college and university faculty & staff) Contributed more than $6.5 million of new private investment;
City invested $17 million
Enrolled 530 students on campuses
Occupied 85,000+/- sq ft of long-term vacant space
BenU generates approximately 600 hotel room nights per year
Outcomes What’s Worked / Accomplishments
• Put Mesa on a national stage for innovation in economic development, government and public/private partnership
• City has beautiful, repurposed space
• Benedictine University has grown to 13 athletic programs
• Growing need for student housing
And the story continues… How Mesa Became a College Town
> https://www.iedcevents.org/Downloads/Conferences/Annual_18/jabjiniak.pdf
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