Dow wants to subdivide tech park

The Dow Chemical Co. is asking the South Charleston PlanningCommission for permission to subdivide 258 acres of the SouthCharleston Technology Park.

Dow spokesman Randy Fischback said, "We're asking for that so itwill give Dow maximum flexibility in divesting portions of the techpark as opportunities present themselves and as we are hopeful tosecure divestment deals.

"There are portions of the property Dow hopes to divest andportions that would remain with Dow," he said. "Subdividing inanticipation of that allows us more flexibility."

The 651-acre tech park has been on an insecure financial footingsince July 2008, when West Virginia University declined to acceptThe Dow Chemical Co.'s donation of a five-story building and 58acres in the park. Dow valued the gift at $25 million. WVU said itneeded more legal protection against possible environmentalliabilities.

Asked on Wednesday if Dow hopes WVU acquires some of the techpark property, Fischback said, "We're just not at liberty to go intothe details of where the divestment plan stands. We remain hopefulthat we'll be able to secure an agreement to divest a portion of theproperty by year's end."

Dow's subdivision request is on the South Charleston PlanningCommission's Dec. 9 meeting agenda.

WVU President James Clements was on the road Wednesday afternoonafter speaking in Charleston at the university-sponsored WestVirginia Economic Outlook Conference. He did not return an e-mailseeking comment.

In January the Charleston Area Alliance, the Chemical AllianceZone and the Mid-Atlantic Technology, Research & Innovation Center,also known as MATRIC, apparently tried to get $100 million insertedinto the federal stimulus package for the park. That effort did notsucceed.

MATRIC occupies a portion of the building in the tech park thatDow tried to give to WVU. MATRIC has been seeking to hire as manyDow Chemical researchers as possible as Dow downsizes here. MATRIC's2008 annual report says the organization ended the year with morethan 100 full- and part-time scientists, engineers, administratorsand support personnel.

Keith Pauley, MATRIC's president and chief executive officer, andMatt Ballard, the Charleston Area Alliance's president and chiefexecutive officer, did not return Wednesday afternoon e-mailsseeking comment.

Contact writer George Hohmann at business@dailymail.com or 304-348-4836.