To the top: Lynne Scott Safrit and David Murdock watch the 'topping out' of the Core Lab structure. Photo by Joey Benton, Kannapolis Citizen.

From the beginning, David Murdock has had a reputation for wanting only the best for the N.C. Research Campus. He proved it once again Monday when he announced his purchase of a 950-megahertz superconducting magnetic imager for the Core Lab.

That's $8.5 million out of Murdock's own pocket — $17 million if you include other magnetic imagers and associated systems.

This project should prove to be magnetic in more ways than one. As the world's largest, most-sensitive imager, it can be expected to draw researchers who want to take advantage of the technology. The equipment will draw international attention and establish respect for the fledgling Research Campus. This will be no "wannabe" research facility; it will be among the best.

The Research Campus is speeding Kannapolis into the future so rapidly that it makes your head spin. A year ago, the public was waiting to hear what Murdock had in mind for the old Pillowtex Plant. Since the September 2005 announcement, the nearly 6 million-square-foot mill has come down, the lake has been filled, the Core Lab's steel skeleton has taken shape, the biggest and best magnetic resonance imager has been ordered and the first tenant has stepped forward — The BioMarker Group, known for diabetes testing.

For those who thought the Research Campus might just be about better fruits and vegetables, these latest announcements reveal its scope to be much, much broader. One N.C. State biochemist said he was eager to use the 950 mhz machine to further studies that could one day stop Alzheimer's and other diseases.

Tax-increment financing pales in importance beside such historic work. Murdock's latest announcements should solidify confidence that the Research Campus will increase property values and boost the Kannapolis economy. This is history in the making.