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Show lease for heart test center A major hurdle has been cleared in Washington, D. C. for approval of a long-term lease between be-tween the federal government and the University for the $2.5 million Artificial Heart Test and Evaluation Evalua-tion Facility in the University's Research Park. School officials were informed that the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare had both approved a 1 0-year lease proposal and jointly requested Congressional authorization. IT- "... 1 I .1 with facilities to implant artificial hearts and heart assist devices in animals and to monitor how they function by computer. Heart devices de-vices developed all over the nation will be tested in the Utah center. U. S. Senator Wallace F. Bennett, (R-Utah) who helped bring the lest facility to the University, Uni-versity, said he was pleased the Nixon Administration had approved ap-proved the long-term lease authority. author-ity. "Of course," he added, "we still must obtain Congressional approval ap-proval for this nrncram. bill I university oinciais ociicve me test center will be a major step forward in Utah's bid to become a leader in the nation's fast-growing biomedical industry. Urgent Need GSA Administrator Robert L. Kunzig, in letters to the chairmen of the Senate and House Public Works and Public Works Appropriations Appro-priations Committees, said there is "an urgent need for this important im-portant research program to commence com-mence as soon as possible..." The long-term lease is necessary, Mr. Kunzig explained, because the testing complex is unlike any other facility in the country. "It is my opinion that the leasing of this special purpose space can best be accomplished by delegating leasing authority to the secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare to enter into a long-term agreement to provide for this requirement," said Mr. Kunzig. The new test center will contain con-tain about 50,000 square feet of hospital and laboratory space, cannot foresee any problems developing." de-veloping." Sen. Bennett said he would immediately contact the appropriate appro-priate committee chairmen for their approval. Following this, the way would be cleared for construction con-struction on the three-story building. build-ing. The University's Research Foundation will build the center. Authorized by State Board The University Institutional Council was given the authorization authori-zation to go ahead with it by the State Board of Higher Education. Dr. William S. Partridge, University Uni-versity vice president for research, said the long-term lease is necessary neces-sary because the building must be specially built and would be a good capital risk only on a long-term long-term lease arrangement. He had been unable to get financing for the project on the one-year lease. "We arc confident the project can get off the ground as soon as the leasing authority gets final Congressional approval," Dr. Partridge said. |