U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow today announced that a location and target opening date has been announced for Detroit's new satellite patent office, the nation's first U.S Patent and Trademark Office outside of Washington, D.C. The new office will be located at 300 River Place Dr. in Detroit-a location listed in the National Historic Registry as the former home to Parke-Davis Laboratories and the Stroh's Brewery Headquarters. The office is set to open no later than July 2012.

The Detroit Office is expected to initially create more than 100 well-paying jobs. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office expects to post vacancy announcements for patent examiner positions this spring. Prospective employees should email detroithiring@uspto.gov for more information.

Senator Stabenow has been a leader in the effort to create the new patent office, and a measure she authored named the new office after Michigan inventor Elijah J. McCoy.

"Making it easier for entrepreneurs to get a patent means they can start turning their innovative ideas into job-creating businesses more quickly. A new Detroit patent office will be a tremendous help for Michigan innovators," said Senator Stabenow. "Our state is first in the nation in clean energy patents, and Michigan is home to groundbreaking research in agriculture, advanced batteries, and new auto technologies. It is very fitting the first satellite office in the country be located in Detroit."

Stabenow continued, "Michigan has been home to many of our nation's greatest entrepreneurs and business leaders. I am proud that the nation's first patent office outside of Washington after our state's own Elijah McCoy, one of the greatest inventors our country has ever known."

Congress passed the final bill to create the Elijah J. McCoy patent office in September. The bill provides a built-in funding mechanism for the new office, allowing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to pay for the Detroit satellite office with user fees it already collects. The first-of-its-kind regional office would help speed the processing of patent applications, helping Michigan companies and inventors get their innovations to market more quickly.

Elijah McCoy, who was the son of former slaves, is one of the most prolific inventors in U.S. history. He secured more than 50 patents throughout his lifetime, but is best known for his inventions that revolutionized how our heavy-duty machinery, including locomotives, function today. Elijah invented the automatic lubricator in July of 1872. While many others tried to replicate his incredibly effective invention, they were largely unsuccessful. A machine was not considered complete unless it had "McCoy" parts. People seeking top-quality products would ask, "is it the real McCoy?" Today, the term "the real McCoy" is used to indicate perfection.