Rowen Site Selection Newsletter: December 10, 2025
Rowen is excited to announce a major milestone: the Rowen Convergence Center—our first vertical development and future hub of Georgia’s largest knowledge community—will break ground in 2026. This 10,000-square-foot facility will serve as Rowen’s front door, creating flexible space for collaboration among researchers, entrepreneurs, students, industry partners and community leaders. We’re proud to partner with Holder Construction, recognized for delivering complex, high-quality projects, to bring this vision to life.
Combined with the recent opening of more than two miles of green roads and pedestrian and bike friendly pathways, this milestone marks our shift from planning to building and reinforces our commitment to advancing economic opportunity in the Rowen Region and across Georgia. We look forward to sharing more progress in the year ahead.
Mason Ailstock
President & CEO
Rowen Leads in Environmental Resiliency for Corporate Location Decisions
Developers nationwide are embracing sustainable, climate-resilient communities as a competitive advantage, building efficient, future-forward infrastructure from the ground up. Rowen is a standout example, noting how its 2,000-acre, research-oriented development integrates resilient infrastructure, advanced stormwater systems and environmentally conscious design. For companies evaluating long-term locations, this shift underscores rising demand for sustainable real estate and strengthens Rowen’s position as an innovative destination for growth.
Read More in the Wall Street Journal
Rowen To Break Ground on its First Vertical Development in 2026
Rowen’s inaugural 10,000-square-foot Convergence Center is set to break ground in mid-2026. Designed to serve as a dynamic and adaptable hub for research, collaboration and convening, the Center will anchor partnerships between corporations, academic institutions and the local community. This milestone—along with recent completion of our initial roads and utilities—signals Rowen’s transition from site preparation to shovel-ready, a key step for companies evaluating locations within the knowledge community.
Read More and View Renderings
Rowen and Gwinnett County Partner to Support Economic Growth
Rowen and Gwinnett County are working together to meet the growing demand from companies seeking sustainable, long-term growth opportunities in the Atlanta region. Through this partnership, Rowen offers ample development-ready land, coordinated local investment and strong alignment with the county’s economic development priorities. With a focus on sectors such as biotech, ag-tech and energy, Rowen is positioned to deliver speed to market and long-term scalability.
Read More in Atlanta Business Chronicle
Georgia Leads the Nation as Best-In-Class Business Environment
Georgia’s business climate continues to stand out. The state ranked third-best for business climate by Site Selection Magazine and No. 1 for business for the 12th consecutive year by Area Development. Part of the tri-state economic development alliance uniting Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi — the Peach State is one of the most dynamic business hubs in the country. Rowen closely aligns with this statewide momentum, offering flexible sites, scalable infrastructure, global connectivity, and access to one of the nation’s top business environments.
Learn More About Georgia’s Incentives
Building Talent that Powers Innovation in the Rowen Region
Rowen’s academic and local partners have set the foundation for long-term workforce growth centered on cultivating local talent and creating pathways into high-demand careers. Through partnerships with regional educators, employers and community organizations, Rowen provides the space and collaboration needed to equip students and residents with hands-on learning in its key industries: medicine, agriculture, environmental sciences and technology. These initiatives ensure that companies locating in the Rowen Region benefit from a strong, future-ready talent pipeline built to meet evolving industry needs.
Read More at Rowenlife.com
Rowen on the Road
This year, Rowen took part in more than 70 events, actively furthering its mission to promote Georgia’s largest knowledge community. We’re excited to continue our conversations with you in the coming year.
- Georgia House Study Committee | December 16, Atlanta, GA
- Guild Partner Winter Summit | January 13-14, 2026, Naples, FL
- World Health Expo | February 9-12, 2026, Dubai, UAE
Media Coverage
Georgia invests $1B to turn Route 316 into ‘workforce expressway’ between Atlanta and Athens
Originally posted in Atlanta Business Chronicle. A decade from now, a series of stop-and-start intersections along the state highway connecting Atlanta to Athens will be ditched in an effort to improve traffic flow and accommodate growth. Georgia’s Department of Transportation is investing approximately $1 billion into a long-term overhaul of state Route 316. The four-lane […]
Announcements
Rowen Foundation Announces Leadership Transition
The Rowen Foundation today announced that President and CEO Mason Ailstock will step down after accepting a new opportunity. The Rowen Board of Directors is conducting a national search for Rowen's next president and CEO with the Board anticipating new leadership later this fall.
Blog
Why Companies Are Choosing Georgia’s Largest Biotech Park
While Boston and San Francisco have long dominated the life sciences conversation, the Southeast is writing a new chapter, and Georgia is leading it. With 2,000 acres of preserved land for state-of-the-art facilities, labs, and collaboration spaces, Rowen is a compelling destination for biopharma and biotech industry investments that value collaborative learning, knowledge sharing, and transformative thinking.