St. Lucie Moving to Capture Burnham Institute

Biotechnology proponents in St. Lucie County are assembling a proposal that could bring San Diego's respected Burnham Institute to the Treasure Coast. Governor Jeb Bush said the plan envisions putting a branch of the 27-year-old biomedical institute in the Tradition development at Interstate 95 near the St. Lucie-Martin county line some 40 miles North of Palm Beach County.

While Palm Beach County struggles to pin down a permanent home for a Scripps Research Institute facility, St. Lucie officials are moving to capture the cluster that Bush has predicted would grow out of the state's $310 million Scripps investment.

Scripps, whose La Jolla, California headquarters are near Burnham's, has in recent months invited Burnham to join its expansion in Florida. Spokeswoman for Burnham, Nancy Beddingfield, said talks between her institute and Florida officials are ongoing.

St. Lucie's proposal probably will include a provision to give land for a consortium of the University of Florida, Florida State University, Florida A&M University or any other state school that wants to collaborate with the biotech stalwarts.

It's precisely the type of campus that had been planned for Mecca Farms around Scripps. But a recent federal court ruling and ongoing litigation have tied up that development.

Mecca neighbor rancher Charles Vavrus had offered to donate 100 acres of his land for a university consortium, with the hope of winning approvals to develop the rest. But the Vavrus land, in Palm Beach Gardens, has no permits, roads or traffic allowances.

Bernie Machen, president of the University of Florida, said he hoped Palm Beach County's plan for Scripps would include a plan for the state's universities. Scientists from Scripps and the University of Florida already are collaborating on several research-grant applications. He said he has met with St. Lucie officials and is aware of the Tradition possibility, but added, "We intend to be in Palm Beach County, assuming that's where Scripps is."

Tradition is a 5,000-acre planned community that is expected to have multistory office parks along I-95 to lure companies related to Scripps. The community has amenities, such as nature trails, rose gardens and lakes, and wireless Internet connections in each home.

In 2004, the Burnham Institute was ranked seventh among independent research institutes for receipt of National Institutes of Health grants. It brought in $53 million from the National Institutes of Health grants. Scripps was No. 1, with $223 million.

Burnham is a leader in stem-cell research and in the effort to develop medications to fight cancer and anthrax infection.