Groundbreaking for $300 M Medical Research Center in Boston

By Veronica Grecu, Associate Editor

A ceremony hosted by representatives of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., Charles River Realty Investors, Clarion Partners, LLC and Newton-based National Development marked the groundbreaking of Longwood Center, a 414,000-square-foot medical research facility on a former vacant plot at the main intersection of Longwood and Brookline Avenues.

Strategically located near 23 leading academic, research and medical institutions such as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, the new facility was planned as an intensive research building that will create and retain up to 660 full- and part-time jobs in Massachusetts. According to an official press release, the $300 million project is scheduled for completion in fall 2014.

Longwood Center, which was delayed for three years because of the sluggish economic environment, was designed by a team of architects from local architecture firm Elkus Manfredi to achieve LEED Silver Certification. The 11-story building will feature highly flexible, modern laboratory and office settings, street level amenities and an onsite parking garage with nearly 300 spaces. Also included in the development plan are restaurant and retail spaces. Harvard Medical School affiliate Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which will occupy almost 155,000 square feet of space, will be Longwood Center’s anchor tenant.

Boston Herald reports that Seattle-based Accelerator Group, a venture capitalist that promotes biotech startups, could also expand its offices at the new research facility.

Rendering courtsey of Elkus Manfredi Architects