An engineering playground at Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment will soon be under new ownership by a nonprofit consortium in Huntsville.

Huntsville STEAM Works is in the process of acquiring MindGear Labs, a fabrication lab founded five years ago by propulsion researcher Rob Adams.

A spokesman for Huntsville STEAM Works said they will focus on new opportunities with MindGear, which will move its operations to a 5,800-square-foot location on the first floor of the North Wing at Lowe Mill in 2017.

"The MindGear brand will continue to be a vital part of Huntsville STEAM Works throughout 2017 and into 2018," he told AL.com.

Adams, who developed multiple camps and workshops at MindGear, will be a "crucial part" of Huntsville STEAM Works and work closely with the organization's founder Mike Murdock.

Lowe Mill Media Director Sarah Cole said the collaboration between MindGear and Huntsville STEAM Works fits well with the arts center's vision.

"Our mission at the Mill is to make art and culture accessible to everyone through events and educational programming," she said. "STEAM Works is an ideal fit for our facility as they not only offer the inspiration to create, but also the hand-on experience that encourages growth for aspiring individuals looking to further their knowledge in any field."

Huntsville STEAM Works focuses on education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) for all ages. The group will provide fab lab equipment for the public and business community, as well as classes and workshops to "grow the next generation of designers who can both shape artistic and industrial design."

"We're excited about accomplishing our goals in serving Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics right here in Madison County," Murdock said in a statement. "Fostering creativity and innovation through education and technology is our main mission and we can't wait to get started."

Grand opening details will be available on www.hsvsteamworks.org .

MindGear Labs, which shuttered its flagship Madison location two years ago to focus on education initiatives, has been operating at Lowe Mill since 2014. The business accelerator was the only entity in the state that year to receive a Growth Accelerator Fund grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration.