Biotechnology

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.

MiraCosta Community College is planning to construct a 23,000-sf chemistry and biotechnology building in Oceanside, Calif. The $46.9 million project, crafted through a design-build partnership between HED and C.W. Driver, will provide leading-edge environments for the school's growing biotechnology program and other STEM courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Featuring flexible, 40-person classrooms, the facility will offer a vibrant mix of instructional, work, social, and laboratory spaces.

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.

Pfizer is constructing the $465 million Modular Aseptic Processing (MAP) facility on its existing campus in Portage, Mich. Integrating advanced manufacturing technologies, the 400,000-sf project will feature next-generation automation systems for the production of sterile injectable pharmaceuticals. The project, which will create approximately 450 new jobs, is part of a $1.1 billion investment in Kalamazoo County. Ground was broken on the facility in March of 2021 and completion is expected in 2023. Production operations will commence in 2025. 

Trammell Crow Company opened the 301,260-sf Fulton Labs facility in Chicago in May of 2021. Developed in partnership with Portal Innovations, the 14-story life sciences hub provides leasable wet and dry research environments with column-free spans for maximum lab module efficiency. Offering vivarium access and 22,000 sf of luxury amenity space, the project incorporates mobile lab casework, overhead service carriers, robust mechanical and electrical systems, and smart windows for the protection of sensitive materials and equipment.

Moderna is initiating a major expansion of the 300,000-sf Moderna Technology Center in Norwood, Mass. Providing additional production capacity for mRNA vaccines and therapeutics, the 350,000-sf project will include the acquisition of a 240,000-sf structure and the renovation of existing buildings. Enabling a 50 percent increase in the plant's commercial COVID-19 vaccine output by early 2022, the new facilities will also support the creation of thousands of preclinical research samples per month.

Greatland Realty Partners began construction in April of 2021 on Revolution Labs in Lexington, Mass. Designed by SGA, the three-story, 180,000-sf life sciences building will provide leasable laboratory and office facilities for biomedical and pharmaceutical companies.

The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering has announced the 2021 Facility of the Year Awards category winners. The awards include:

Life sciences developer IQHQ began construction in April of 2021 on the $1 billion Fenway Center in Boston. Created in collaboration with Meredith Management, the biomedical research hub will be situated over the Massachusetts Turnpike on an air rights deck. The amenity-rich campus will include two towers offering 960,000 sf of leasable lab and office space, 10,000 sf of ground-floor retail, and an automated parking garage.

Promega Corporation opened the 283,000-sf Kornberg Center in April of 2021 in Fitchburg, Wis. Designed by Ramlow/Stein and SmithGroup, the three-story facility provides advanced laboratories for core product and technology development in cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry, genetic identity, clinical diagnostics, and scientific applications.

Arizona State University and Wexford Science+Technology opened the PBC Innovation Center on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus in March of 2021. Strategically collocating academic investigators with private companies to foster collaboration and discovery, the 225,000-sf facility provides wet and dry lab environments, offices, meeting spaces, and retail amenities.

Brandywine Realty Trust began construction in March of 2021 on the $287 million West Tower at Schuylkill Yards in Philadelphia. The 28-story, 570,000-sf structure will provide 200,000 sf of laboratory and office space for biomedical and life sciences companies, as well as 9,000 sf of retail space and 326 luxury apartments. On the ninth floor, a 29,000-sf lifestyle club will offer a sophisticated fitness center, a swimming pool, lounges, conference rooms, and co-working venues.