Research and Development

Merck opened the first M Lab™ Collaboration Center in Europe in March of 2019. Located in Molsheim, France, the facility provides biopharmaceutical customers with a shared, exploratory environment where they can work with Merck scientists and engineers to accelerate the manufacture of new therapies. The 43,000-sf facility offers advanced simulation technologies in a non-GMP environment for end-to-end process development from pre-clinical through full-scale production.

The University of Groningen will begin construction in summer of 2019 on the 690,000-sf Feringa Building in the Netherlands. The $285 million facility will provide labs, cleanrooms, lecture halls, classrooms, and offices to support science and engineering programs. Specialized laboratories, located entirely on the north face of the building to mitigate weather conditions, will accommodate research in materials science, nanotechnology, chemical engineering, and astronomy.

Eisai is building the $100 million Center for Genetics Guided Dementia Discovery (G2D2) in Cambridge, Mass. Sited in the newly constructed Alewife Research Center, the 50,000-sf neuroscience facility will support exploratory drug research on next-generation dementia therapeutics. Featuring numerous interaction zones and huddle areas, the center will provide open offices, a collaboration hub, flexible meeting rooms, and multidisciplinary open labs for the study of biology, chemistry, and automation.

Marquette University opened the $24 million Athletic and Human Performance Research Center in March of 2019 in Milwaukee. Featuring 5,400 sf of core research labs for the study of human performance, the 46,000-sf facility provides strength and conditioning facilities for the department of athletics, as well as locker rooms and support areas for the school's golf and lacrosse programs.

The University of Texas at El Paso is constructing the $85 million Interdisciplinary Research Building. Designed by Perkins+Will, the 150,000-gsf project will provide collaborative research labs, a vivarium, imaging suites, core labs, a visualization suite, conference rooms, an atrium, an auditorium, and academic and administrative offices. Housing teams from multiple colleges, the flexible facility will be able to adapt with ease to accommodate changing research programs.

Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the fourth quarter of 2018. Key points include:

Florida Polytechnic University is planning to build the Applied Research Center in Lakeland. The two-story, 85,000-sf facility will provide teaching and research labs, student design spaces, conference rooms, faculty offices, and administrative space. The ARC was designed by HOK with the goal of creating a dynamic, functional, and flexible facility that will promote innovation, entrepreneurship, collaboration, and connectivity. Construction will begin in August of 2019 and completion is expected in fall of 2021.

Arizona State University and Wexford Science+Technology broke ground in March of 2019 on a $77 million research building on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus. The public-private project will be owned by Wexford and is being created in partnership with Ventas and the city of Phoenix. Half of the seven-story, 225,000-sf facility will house research labs for ASU's Biodesign Institute, the College of Health Solutions, and the College of Nursing and Health Innovation.

Bates College broke ground on the 65,000-sf Bonney Science Center in March of 2019 in Lewiston, Maine. Designed by Payette to foster collaboration, the three-story facility will provide flexible teaching and research labs, classrooms, and study areas to support programs in chemistry, biology, and neuroscience. The interdisciplinary project will include shared instrumentation rooms, a two-story interaction lounge, and a vivarium.

Cellectis entered into a lease agreement in March of 2019 to build the Innovative Manufacturing Plant for Allogeneic Cellular Therapies (IMPACT) in Raleigh, N.C. Designed by Laporte Euro, the facility will produce immunotherapies based on gene-edited allogeneic CAR T-cells (UCART). Colliers International assisted in the real estate transaction. In addition, Cellectis is building a 14,000-sf manufacturing facility in Paris.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa is building a $50 million life sciences facility in Honolulu. Designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration, the three-story, 45,000-sf project will provide the College of Natural Sciences with classrooms, teaching and research laboratories, lab support spaces, and offices. Accommodating the departments of biology, microbiology, and botany, the building will also house the Pacific Biosciences Research Center and the Biological Electron Microscope Facility.

Quest Diagnostics broke ground in March of 2019 on a 250,000-sf laboratory in Clifton, N.J. The medical testing facility will be Quest's largest development and will accommodate over 1,100 employees. Supporting increased capacity, the center will provide comprehensive diagnostic services with reduced processing times. Occupancy is expected in 2021. The lab is located on 12 acres in the ON3 campus which offers integrated research, office, and residential facilities in a vibrant environment offering myriad lifestyle amenities.

The University of Chicago opened the Media Arts, Data and Design (MADD) Center in February of 2019. Designed by Payette, the 20,000-sf facility provides students, faculty, staff, and community partners with a collaborative space for exploration and innovation in virtual and augmented reality, data visualization, digital fabrication, and video gaming. Located in the John Crerar Library, the MADD Center houses five resource labs: 

Lehigh University is planning to build a $100 million facility for the College of Health in Bethlehem, Pa. Designed by Wilson HGA, the five-story, 190,000-gsf facility will promote interdisciplinary education and research by collocating programs in health, science, and technology. Featuring a transparent design with minimal hard walls, the project will offer open labs and learning studios to enhance collaboration and interaction.

Fujifilm Electronic Materials broke ground in March of 2019 on an 85,000-sf expansion of its Mesa campus. The project will provide five new buildings for research, development, manufacturing, warehousing, and administration. Completion is expected in early 2020. Fujifilm is investing $91 million over several years to expand its operations in Arizona and Rhode Island to meet a growing global demand for high purity electronic chemicals.