Ground has been broken for the first phase of a mixed-use life science hub and apartment complex adjacent to the Georgia Tech campus.
According to developer Trammell Crow Company (TCC), the project will include the only ground-up commercial lab space under construction in the metro area. The development will be located in the newly re-christened Science Square at Northside Drive and North Avenue.
TCC, its residential subsidiary High Street Residential, and Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures, a cooperative organization of the Georgia Institute of Technology, are partners in the project.
The first phase of the development will include Science Square Labs, a 13-story, 364,740-square-foot Class A lab/office tower, and a 14-story, 280-unit residential building, which will include shared parking and ground-floor retail space.
Portal Innovations, a life sciences venture capital firm, will occupy a full floor at Science Square Labs, offering fully equipped lab space, seed financing, and management expertise for start-ups.
Designed by Perkins + Will, the 13-story tower will also feature amenities such as a fitness center, conference space, and an indoor/outdoor lounge with a catering kitchen, and a large deck with skyline views.
Designed by Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio, the residential building will have a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with an affordable housing component and ground-floor retail.
“With the ground-up development of Science Square, we will have the ability to provide the infrastructure needed to capture the increasing demand for lab space generated from the growth of research and commercialization within the life science industry,” said Kelly Fox, Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance at Georgia Tech. “This catalytic development will solidify Atlanta’s position as one of the top emerging life sciences markets nationally, bringing with it new jobs, economic benefits, and much-needed housing and amenities to Georgia Tech’s neighboring communities.”
Science Square Labs is slated to deliver during the first quarter of 2024.