'The Green@Techworks' announced in Waterloo

A $50-million redevelopment at John Deere's Westfield Avenue location in Waterloo announced Tuesday will include a new John Deere regional training center, 100-room hotel and advanced energy center.

The Green@TechWorks Campus will be adjacent to the existing TechWorks Campus. It will involve redevelopment of the TechWorks Tech II building by Financial District Properties.

Project elements planned for the six-story property include a John Deere Northeast Iowa regional employee training center, a 100-room upscale business travel hotel and a fine dining restaurant to be operated by Russell Wasendorf Sr.

Class A showroom and office space in the building will be available for lease.

The building will be powered in part by an integrated renewable energy system, using 900 kilowatts of combined solar and small wind generation.

The Advanced Energy & Ag Tech Center will be on the first floor, providing education about innovation in renewable energy production and energy efficiency technologies.

The other project components include the John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum, which is already under construction for a spring 2013 opening.

Mayor Buck Clark, Deere and Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber officials announced the project Tuesday morning.

Clark, in prepared remarks, called it a monumental redevelopment project driven by a solid private-public partnership.

The project will be designed to green standards of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program.