Gattuso Development Partners and Vigilant Holdings broke ground in February of 2023 on a $450 million life sciences center in Philadelphia. Located in the University City district on the campus of Drexel University, the 11-story, 519,647-rsf building will provide wet and dry research labs for the creation of novel therapeutics and medical technologies. Drexel will occupy 60,000 sf in the collaborative structure to enable the growth of core R&D functions and selected academic programs. Additionally, SmartLabs has pre-leased nearly half of the available lab space in the company's first expansion beyond San Francisco and Boston.
Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, the amenity-rich center will feature generous floor-to-floor heights, five service elevators, six enclosed loading docks, and robust mechanical and electrical systems. Incorporating best practices for pH neutralization and chemical storage, the highly flexible facility will offer ample amounts of vertical shaft space to accommodate tenant equipment. Landscape architect James Corner Field Operations is transforming an existing alleyway into a pedestrian thoroughfare leading to the building, which will include 12,000 sf of ground-level retail and an underground parking garage. Targeting LEED Gold certification, the sustainably designed structure is slated for occupancy in late 2024.
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RAMSA
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Architect
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Field Operations
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Landscape Architect
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