DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — The city commission approved a memorandum with the Wiregrass Foundation to move along with building the Wiregrass Innovation Center.

This innovation center will be next to the Wiregrass Museum of Art and is where the HudsonAlpha Wiregrass Institute for Biotechnology will be located.

It’s part of the city’s major effort to create a new ecosystem based on the power of genomics.

Other tenants will also be in the building.

Mayor Mark Saliba said this project should be the next one to break ground after removing the former utility building.

“I’m hoping by the end of the year and we will have two projects going on at the same time,” Mayor Saliba said. “It’s instrumental it’s a major piece of the city center project as well, so yes we are excited about this project and we are looking forward to giving you updates on that.”

There will be a presentation about HudsonAlpha and the Wiregrass Innovation Center project next Monday at 10:30 in the civic center.