Howard University will begin construction in 2023 on the National Research Center for Health Disparities in Washington. Accelerating the discovery of new solutions for chronic illnesses, the 260,000-sf facility will provide sophisticated laboratory and office environments where academic investigators can engage in collaborative discovery with pharmaceutical companies and biomedical research organizations.
Precision NanoSystems is constructing its global headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia. Located in the four-story Evolution Block building, the 75,000-sf leased facility will feature a GMP biomanufacturing center for the production of genetic medicines and RNA-based therapeutics. The federal government has contributed CAD$25.1 million in funding towards the project's construction to increase the nation's domestic supply of COVID-19 vaccines and prepare for future pandemics.
Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the second quarter of 2021. Key points include:
Florida State University broke ground in August of 2021 on the $88 million Interdisciplinary Research and Commercialization Building in Tallahassee, Fla. Designed by HGA as an 'idea factory' for materials science discovery, the 116,000-sf project will provide open labs, core facilities, and collaboration venues for up to 30 research teams. The highly flexible and adaptable structure will collocate investigators with expertise in biomedical engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, condensed matter physics, and device prototyping.
Landmark Bio began construction in July of 2021 on a leased facility in Watertown, Mass. Supported by $76 million in funding, the 40,000-sf project will accelerate the availability of novel therapeutics by collocating research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization activities in the same structure. Featuring eight GMP cleanrooms configured to allow production of both cell and viral vector materials, the center will include labs, offices, and quality control suites.
The Ohio State University is constructing the $237.5 million Interdisciplinary Research Facility in Columbus. Anchoring a new innovation district, the 305,000-sf building will accommodate biomedical, life sciences, engineering, and environmental science research programs. Designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners and Moody Nolan to foster interaction and collaboration, the five-story structure will provide wet labs, computational labs, core labs, a vivarium, and a variety of support spaces.
Boston Properties broke ground in July of 2021 on a $105 million life sciences facility in Waltham, Mass. Designed by Stantec, 180 CityPoint will provide leasable lab and office environments with exceptional access to natural light and views. Featuring shared meeting spaces and a collaborative co-working nexus, the six-story, 329,000-sf building will include an expansive roof deck, a food hall, a wellness center, an indoor basketball court, and a 900-car parking structure.
The global life sciences industry has been on the rise, growing more rapidly than ever over the past decade—well before the pandemic struck. In fact, its trajectory only accelerated throughout 2020 and into early 2021—with demand for its products surging and access to capital continuing to greatly expand in both periods. A record $70 billion of private and public capital (mostly venture capital and initial public offerings) poured into life sciences-related companies in North America in 2020, a 93 percent increase from the previous record of $36 billion received in 2018. And if investment continues at the pace we’ve seen in the first quarter of 2021 (already totaling $32.9 billion), we could see somewhere in the area of $90 billion raised this year alone. With COVID-19 challenging the sector last year like never before, the industry has clearly proven itself, sparking a light that illuminated a better way to work, collaborate, and innovate toward the hope of a vaccinated future. The speed at which COVID-19 vaccines have been developed and rolled out is a huge achievement for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and is also a testament to the power of global collaboration. Now that we know what’s achievable in a relatively short amount of time, many will ponder what’s next for the life sciences industry. What else is it capable of doing? With the recent success of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine technology, many researchers are increasingly seeing expanded possibilities in the technology to fight against infectious diseases, cancer, and more. This acceleration of the life sciences industry comes at a critical time, demonstrating the sector’s value and agility when the stakes have been so high.
The University of Victoria will break ground in early 2022 on a CAD$89.6 million project to provide new facilities for the Department of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). A six-story addition to the existing ECS building will feature new laboratories and instructional venues for the university's growing programs in biomedical, civil, computer, electrical, mechanical, and software engineering. The adjacent High Bay Research and Structures Lab will enable large-scale experiments and the testing of new construction methods and materials.
Nexus Pharmaceuticals opened a $100 million manufacturing facility in July of 2021 in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. Increasing the nation's domestic supply of life-saving medicines, the 84,000-sf structure will produce specialty and generic injectable drugs, including vaccines for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The three-story building features an advanced isolator system and multiple lyophilization machines to ensure maximum product protection and sterility.
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and RWJBarnabas Health broke ground in June of 2021 on the $750 million Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center in New Brunswick. Designed by HOK, the 510,000-sf structure will enable the consolidation of key cancer services in a single integrated location.
DivcoWest broke ground in June of 2021 on a 375,000-sf life sciences facility in the Cambridge Crossing innovation district. Designed by Ennead Architects with Jacobs Consultancy as the architect of record, the collaborative building will provide leading-edge research environments for biomedical and pharmaceutical tenants. Comprising ten floors of lab space, two penthouse levels, and multiple outdoor terraces, the project will offer generous ceiling heights with minimal interior columns for optimal flexibility.
AbCellera Biologics is planning to break ground in late 2021 on a manufacturing plant for therapeutic antibodies in Vancouver, British Columbia. Supported by $175.6 million in federal funding, the 130,000-sf project will cost approximately CAD$240 million to build. Offering advanced production suites, labs, offices, and warehouse space, the GMP facility will enhance the country's ability to create vaccines in response to future pandemic threats.
Winstanley Enterprises broke ground in June of 2021 on a $100 million bioscience research center in New Haven, Conn. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects, the 10-story, 525,000-sf facility will provide leasable laboratory and office environments for biomedical companies and academic institutions. Featuring a large public plaza, the collaborative structure will include a 48,000-sf business incubator operated by BioLabs, a conference center, and a STEM classroom for K-12 education programs.
Kilroy Realty Corporation broke ground in June of 2021 on the second phase of construction at Oyster Point in South San Francisco. Comprising three buildings offering 860,000 sf of space, the $940 million project will provide leading-edge lab and office environments for biomedical and pharmaceutical tenants. LEED Gold sustainable design certification will be sought for the structures, which will incorporate 40,000-sf open floor plates, 22' by 33' column spacing, 16' floor-to-floor heights, and a floor load capacity of 125 pounds per square foot.
