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The Parc Científic de Barcelona signs a loan agreement with the ICO, ICF and Caixa de Catalunya

By 18 de May de 2005No Comments
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 18.05.2005

The Parc Científic de Barcelona signs a loan agreement with the ICO, ICF and Caixa de Catalunya

On Tuesday 17 May, the rector of the Universitat de Barcelona (University of Barcelona, UB) and president of the Parc Científic de Barcelona (Barcelona Science Park, PCB), Joan Tugores, signed a syndicated loan agreement with representatives from the Instituto de Crédito Oficial (Spanish Institute of Credit, ICO), the Institut Català de Finances (Catalan Institute of Finances, ICF) and the savings bank Caixa Catalunya. This operation guarantees the continuation of the PCB project through the development of its second phase.


The loan was signed in the Conference Room of the rector’s office in the presence of the UB rector; Dionisio Arredondo, head of Institutional Finances at the ICO; Carme Garcia, deputy director of the ICF; and Agustí Faust, head of Corporate and Institutional Financing of the Caixa Catalunya.

Through this agreement the PCB will receive 60 million euros; an amount that will allow the centre to fulfill pending commitments for construction and fitting, in addition to the start-up of the second phase, in accordance with the Viability Plan approved by the Governing Board of the PCB. This plan was put together by the rector’s team, the UB Social Council and the Caixa de Catalunya, and, as of one year ago, has been supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya (regional government), through the Dept. of Economy and Finances and the Dept. of Universities, Research and the Information Society.

The construction of the second phase of the PCB, which is expected to become operational at the end of 2008, involves the extension from 26,200 m2 to 85,000 m2. This increase implies the enlargement of the Modular Building, which holds laboratories. This building currently occupies a total of usable area of 23,000 m2, and with the extension will hold eight new modules, which amount to a total of 10,000 m2. This space will be designated to the enlargement of the CIDEM-PCB Bioincubator, the incorporation of new enterprises, extensions to the PCB’s Institute of Biomedical Research (IRB-PCB) and the Nanobioengineering Laboratory of the CREBEC, and laboratories devoted to research undertaken by UB groups.

In addition, the second phase will also involve the restructuring of the two towers that currently host the UB faculties of Geography, History and Philosophy. These schools will move to a new site which is being built in front of the Casa de la Caritat. One of the remodeled towers will host a technology bioincubator which, in collaboration with the Business Area of the Fundació Bosch i Gimpera, seeks to promote the establishment of new technology-based enterprises, while the second tower will be devoted to research activities.