Perkins&Will

Repurposing non-research facilities to house specialized life sciences and therapeutics labs is a growing trend sparked by real estate inventory and the fiscal practicality of renovation rather than new construction. The vacancy rate throughout the United States for lab space in the fourth quarter of 2022 was 6 percent versus 19.5 percent for office space, according to the Jones Lang LaSalle real estate transparency index. The vacancy rates for 2021 were less than 4 percent for labs and approximately 15 percent for offices.

Western Washington University broke ground in March of 2023 on the $73.6 million Kaiser Borsari Hall in Bellingham. Designed by Perkins&Will, the 54,000-sf structure will accommodate the school's growing programs in computer science, electrical engineering, and energy science and technology. The four-story building will provide active learning classrooms, teaching and research labs, offices, breakout areas, a multicultural student lounge, and a collaborative commons. 

The University of South Alabama is planning to construct a $200 million facility for the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine in Mobile. Designed by Perkins&Will and Eskew Dumez Ripple to define a vibrant health sciences district, the project includes the demolition of two existing structures to enable the creation of a 300,000-sf building adjacent to the College of Nursing.

Missouri University of Science and Technology will begin construction in late summer of 2023 on a $53.4 million manufacturing innovation hub in Rolla. Designed by Perkins&Will and Mackey Mitchell Architects, the Missouri Protoplex will be the headquarters of a statewide ecosystem where experts, innovators, business owners, and educators develop new production methods and technologies.

The University of British Columbia began construction in December of 2022 on the CAD$180 million Gateway Building in Vancouver. Designed by Perkins&Will and Schmidt Hammer Lassen, the 267,000-sf project will offer sophisticated facilities for interprofessional education including wet and dry labs, high-fidelity simulation suites, flexible classrooms, and four large lecture halls.