TechWorks Campus

The TechWorks Campus is a 30-acre advanced manufacturing, research and development, innovation, education, commercial and manufacturing center. Located in downtown Waterloo adjacent to the John Deere Tractor and Cab Assembly Operations, the campus is comprised of development sites and 300,000 square feet of flex space divided among two historic John Deere manufacturing buildings: Tech 1 and Tech 2.

The Tech I building is divided between six floors of light industrial manufacturing space, the Cedar Valley Maker’s tech shop /‘tinker’ space, and a business incubator. It is the proud home of the Iowa Advanced Manufacturing Network Hub which boasts North America’s largest 3D printer operated by the University of Northern Iowa Metal Casting Center.

The Labs at TechWorks consist of six individual wet labs with adjacent office and storage space.

The Green@TechWorks is part of the larger 30-acre TechWorks campus. The existing building, Tech 2, includes within its six floors the John Deere Regional Training Center, Courtyard by Marriott hotel, a fine dining establishment, and conference space. Construction of the $43 million project was to LEED certification.

The far north edge of the Campus, along the banks of the revitalized Cedar Riverfront, will be developed into a marina to include 18 rental boat slips, pontoon rentals and a “fisherman’s pub.”

Development sites on the Campus will support manufacturing facilities. TechWorks is the first technology park of its kind in Iowa to combine world-class business amenities within a Brownfield industrial redevelopment project.

The new John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum is also located on the west side of the campus.

Cedar Valley TechWorks is a non-profit corporation with 501C3 status, owned and operated by the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber.

$12,000,000
Iowa Economic Development Authority
Reinvestment District Program

$3,200,000
Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED)
Grow Iowa Value Funds (for Technology Center Rehab.)

$1,400,000
Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT)
Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy Grant (RISE)

$2,600,000
City of Waterloo
For streets and infrastructure.

$1,600,000
Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Technology Center Rehabilitation

$1,425,000
Private Donations
(For infrastructure)

$396,000
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Economic Development Initiative Grant (EDI)

$17,400,000
Deere & Company Donation
Economic Development Initiative Grant (EDI)

$3,000,000
State of Iowa- Iowa Reinvestment District Program
State Sales and Hotel Tax Rebates

$550,000
City of Waterloo
Grant

10.2004 | ARTICLE
Project awarded a $3.2 million Grow Iowa Value funds from the Iowa Department of Economic Development.

02.2007 | ARTICLE
TechWorks project begins.

09.2007 | ARTICLE
Demolition of former Deere buildings began to allow for project construction.

02.2008 | ARTICLE
Cedar Valley TechWorks received its first tenant lease agreement.

01.2012 | ARTICLE
$50 million project unveiled. “Tech 2” building will feature a hotel, restaurant, and office space.

01.2013 | ARTICLE
Cedar Valley TechWorks project to include a John Deere museum.

06.2014 | ARTICLE
Iowa Economic Development Authority granted provisional approval for $12 million request for TechWorks project.

02.2015 | ARTICLE
Iowa Economic Development Authority board awards $12 million in future tax revenue towards TechWorks project.

12.2017 | ARTICLE
$43 million, 166-bed Courtyard by Marriott opens for business on TechWorks campus.

10.2019 | ARTICLE
Lincoln Savings Bank purchases top 3 floors of TechWorks Building 1 for $11 million project.

Formerly referred to as the “Factory City of Iowa,” the creation of the TechWorks Campus helps to transition Waterloo into the “New Economy.”  The campus was once an integral part of the city’s industrial sector.  Now, the progressive project diversifies Waterloo’s changing economic base with the creation of a bio-based, agri-industrial product development and exhibition complex.