Breakthrough Properties began construction in August of 2022 on the One Canal life sciences center in Cambridge, Mass. Designed to accommodate either a single tenant or multiple companies, the project involves the renovation of an existing structure to provide 105,000 sf of best-in-class biomedical research space. Occupants will enjoy private outdoor meeting venues, integrated retail amenities, and a fitness center.
Cornell University will begin construction in January of 2023 on a 30,000-nsf expansion of Thurston Hall in Ithaca, N.Y. Designed by NBBJ to promote experiential learning, the $40 million project will accommodate the rapidly growing Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. The façade of the brick and stone structure, which was originally built in 1951, will be transformed into a contemporary glass and metal exterior that transmits natural light to interior areas.
The University of North Carolina Wilmington is expanding the William Randall Library to enhance the student experience with new venues for knowledge exchange and discovery. Designed by LS3P and Shepley Bulfinch to maximize visibility and connectivity, the $56 million project includes construction of an 80,000-sf addition and renovation of the existing structure to create an 118,000-sf complex.
The need for more space to accommodate a daily backlog of unwashed cages sparked a $40 million gut renovation of the two-building animal research facility on the campus of the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI) in Bethesda, Md. When the conjoined structures reopen this fall, they will be fully equipped with up-to-date features that facilitate animal care compliance, promote employee satisfaction, and offer uber-flexibility.
NASA Glenn Research Center opened the Research Support Building in July of 2022 in Cleveland. Designed by TEN Arquitectos and ASA as a vibrant nexus of interaction and innovation, the two-story, 64,000-sf facility provides collaborative engineering suites, open and private offices, conference rooms, and training areas. Accommodating approximately 164 employees, the flexible and inclusive development features a communal dining area as well as a 6,000-sf outdoor commons.
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has acquired an existing life sciences facility to house the Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training. Sited adjacent to the school's campus in Albany, New York, the 154,000-sf structure is uniquely designed for biomedical research with over 60,000 sf of BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratory space. The five-story building will be renovated to create dedicated gene therapy labs, mammalian cell labs, teaching wet labs, biopharmaceutical pilot plants, and fermentation and downstream processing facilities.
Colorado State University opened the Terra Building in Denver in June of 2022. Located on the Spur campus, the 60,000-sf facility offers immersive environments for agricultural research, education, and outreach. Featuring state-of-the-art laboratories and plant growth chambers, the sustainably designed project includes a teaching and culinary kitchen, sensory testing areas, classrooms, a K-12 discovery center, and venues for events and performances.
Cleveland Clinic will begin construction in mid-2022 on the Neurological Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. Spanning over a million square feet, the translational research building will integrate inpatient and outpatient care facilities with world-class biomedical laboratories. Designed by Stantec and Hopkins Architects, the collaborative structure will foster interaction between medical professionals and scientists to accelerate the discovery of new therapies and attract the next generation of caregivers.
Mercer University broke ground in May of 2022 on the 65,000-sf Moye Pharmacy and Health Sciences Center in Atlanta. Located on the Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus in Atlanta, the collaborative facility will feature flexible classrooms that can easily accommodate diverse pedagogies ranging from didactic instruction to active team-based learning.
Growing demand for life sciences research space is driving an increase in office-to-lab conversion projects in the United States. According to a new report from CBRE, office-to-lab conversions in progress in the 12 largest U.S. life sciences markets at the end of 2021 amounted to 9.9 million sf, up 49 percent from the beginning of the year. In comparison, ground-up lab construction rose by 42 percent to nearly 18.8 million sf by the end of 2021.
The Bakar BioEnginuity Hub (BBH), a newly opened life science incubator in Woo Hon Fai Hall on the University of California Berkeley campus, sets a new standard for adaptive reuse of historically significant buildings. Originally completed in 1970, the 94,000-sf cast-in-place concrete building was designed by famed San Francisco architect Mario Ciampi as the home of the Berkeley Art Museum and the Pacific Film Archive. Considered an iconic example of mid-century brutalist architecture, the building was found to have significant seismic vulnerabilities after a campus-wide assessment was conducted in 1997. Despite installing temporary reinforcement bracing that improved the building’s seismic rating from “very poor” to “poor,” the museum ultimately moved to a new location in 2014, leaving the massive complex vacant until a decision was made in 2018 to transform it into a life science research incubator that also preserved the building’s historic legacy. While the bold adaptive reuse goal was laudable and widely supported, the architectural engineering and mechanical challenges of retrofitting the historic building to support the needs of a modern flexible life sciences lab were unprecedented.
Marist College is planning a $60 million expansion and renovation of Dyson Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Housing the School of Management and the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the existing structure will expand from 54,000 to 110,000 sf to create a new campus hub for intellectual exchange and student collaboration. Designed by Ann Beha Architects, the completed facility will feature a soaring atrium, a 150-seat lecture hall, state-of-the-art classrooms, and specialized research labs for cognitive, developmental, and social psychology.
Vibalogics completed construction in December of 2021 on a $150 million virotherapy facility in Boxborough, Mass. Sited on 145 acres, the next-generation manufacturing plant supports commercial production of oncolytic viruses, viral vector vaccines, and viral vector gene therapy products. The highly flexible structure incorporates 2,000-liter bioreactors, multiple cGMP production suites, offices, warehouse space, and labs for research, development, and quality control.
Harvard University completed a renovation of the historic Houghton Library in January of 2022. Acting as the school's principal repository for rare books and manuscripts, the updated facility features a redesigned entrance forecourt with a broad, welcoming staircase. Designed by Ann Beha Architects, the project included modifications to the library's oval lobby to create a new display setting for the library’s special collections, with space for modern exhibition cases around the perimeter.
The newly renovated Robert A. Welch Hall lays the groundwork to transform the way science is taught and done at the University of Texas, Austin, to move from siloed departments to transdisciplinary research that focuses on emerging fields that occur at the interfaces of traditional core science departments. While the sciences had been almost entirely housed in separate single-department buildings, the College of Natural Science’s master plan calls for more program-based facilities. The renovation infuses the building with light and increases its research capacity by 30 percent.
