San Antonio's innovative EPICenter energy incubator will also play another role on the City's South Side...breathing new life into a more than 100 year old landmark building, News Radio 1200 WOAI reprots.
Jennifer Young with Lake Flato Architects says the one Mission Road Power Station is an amazing building to house the EPICenter, which will be ancubator for sustainable power engineering and invention.
"Just the interior space, the way its built...raw..like this..is so powerful," she said. "We want to see how far we can go to keep it true to its existing structure."
The power plant, which is now closed, is one of the most iconic structures in South San Antonio, with its landmark single smokestack and brick 'industrial age' design.
Young says the goal is to maintain the architecture and feel of the 1909 structure, as a tribute to the rich past of the Texas energy industry, which will give inspiration to the students, scientists and scholars who will be working to make sure Texas maintains its energy leadership through the 21st and into the 22nd Century.
"There is an insertion of the really high technology," she said. "Where those two merge and meet will be really very interesting."
EPICenter, for 'Energy Partnerships, Innovation' Center is a privately funded incubator for the invention of tomorrow's energy, similar to Geekdom as an incubator for the invention of tomorrow's technology.
In addition to the research spaces, EPICenter will contain a think tank for scientific innovation, a materials shop for the researchers to test their ideas, as well as additions for the South Side community, because the EPICenter is expected to lead to the growth of sustainable energy companies.
It will include a community venue, exhibit space, and a conference center.The EPICenter is expected to be open and innovating by 2021.
PHOTO' LAKE FLATO