AUBURN, Ala.- On Wednesday, the City of Auburn’s Economic Development team celebrated the grand opening of its newest resource for local startups, The Yard. The new facility offers entrepreneurs a unique workspace where they can grow their tech or manufacturing businesses in a supportive environment.

“I’m excited to unveil Auburn’s newest incubator space and celebrate another way Auburn is playing a key role in developing businesses in our community,” Auburn Mayor Ron Anders said. “Through partnerships with Auburn University to educate, equip and empower startups at every stage in their development, we have been able to create a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem that will further the growth of technology-based companies right here in Auburn.”

Located at 2175 Pumphrey Ave., The Yard includes five office suites, two manufacturing bays and shared areas to facilitate collaboration among tenants. The initial concept for the building was born out of a design-build competition among students in Auburn University’s architecture and building science programs. The winning team envisioned a sustainable structure made from recycled shipping containers, and architect John Randall Wilson and HBS Construction put in the work to bring the idea to life.

The finished product used 10 recycled sea shipping containers that were insulated and brought up to the most recent energy code, keeping sustainability and innovative design at the forefront of the project. The Yard expands the City’s efforts to help fuel local startups, adding to space available at the Auburn Center for Developing Industries, which has been a resource for budding businesses since the ’80s.

“The Yard, with its industrial design, creates a crucial space for tech and manufacturing startups to continue their development and flourish in an environment that fosters entrepreneurship and innovation,” said Arndt Siepmann, the City’s Economic Development deputy director. “We look forward to seeing what exciting ideas become a reality in Auburn.”

Those interested in leasing space at The Yard can contact the Economic Development team at webecondev@auburnalabama.org or 334-501-7270.