By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis – A non-profit group broke ground Thursday on what will become an incubator for biotech businesses.
The Center of Research, Technology and Entrepreneurial Exchange, or CORTEX, is scheduled to open a new $36 million office and lab building in December 2005.
Mayor Francis Slay says it will help make St. Louis more competitive.
"We are now on the road to building an industry and creating an environment that will not only attract new jobs with very high average salaries and scientists from all parts of the country, but will also provide strong career opportunities for a our local graduates," Slay said.
The non-profit organization is a collaboration between Washington University, Saint Louis University, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, as well as Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation and the Missouri Botanical Garden.