Weill Cornell to Open 200 KSF Manhattan Facility

A rendering of Weill Cornell’s new research complex at 1334 York Ave. Image courtesy of Weill Cornell Medicine

Weill Cornell Medicine is expanding its presence around Manhattan with a new 200,000-square-foot research complex to be housed within five floors at 1334 York Ave., currently home to the world headquarters of Sotheby’s.

Development of the institution’s new space will happen in two phases. The first, a conversion of two floors to laboratory space, is scheduled to begin in 2024. When completed in 2026, the expansion will be the institution’s largest in 12 years.

The announcement comes right off the heels of another large-scale expansion by the health-care system. Last month, the institution agreed to a 30-year, 100,000-square-foot expansion of its lease at 575 Lexington Ave., one of the largest agreements of its kind to take place this year.

A new home for new research

According to Weill Cornell Medicine, the space will be used primarily for clinical and translational medical research and is likely to host more than 700 of the institution’s faculty and staff. The site will host a mix of relocated personnel from other sites and new hires, with the latter consisting of researchers, data scientists and business people.

Laboratory space inside the renovated floors at 1334 York Ave. Image courtesy of Weill Cornell Medicine

The expansion will include both wet and dry laboratory spaces, in addition to open-area workstations and private conference rooms. Architectural features will include large windows that will allow for ample natural light. Additionally, Weill Cornell Medicine is seeking to achieve LEED certification at the development.

Located on the Upper East Side’s Medical Research Corridor, the new space will lie next to Weill Cornell’s joint campus with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and within one square mile of many of the institution’s facilities. The Rockefeller University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, two of Weill Cornell’s closest research and health-care partners, lie adjacent along the FDR East River Drive.

READ ALSO: Emerging Life Science Hubs Stake a Claim

A common area inside the institution’s new office. Image courtesy of Weill Cornell Medicine

When completed, the office at 1334 York Ave. will house expansions to the University’s Englander Institute of Precision Medicine and Meyer Cancer Center. Research focuses at the new office will include cardiovascular and regenerative medicine, neuroscience, immunotherapy, population health and women’s health.

Additionally, the space will house the newly created Department of Systems and Computational Biomedicine, which will use artificial intelligence to further the institution’s research goals.

Sotheby’s humble abode

According to CommercialEdge information, 1334 York Ave. was built as an industrial building in 1921, and was converted into office space in 1985. An exterior cosmetic renovation took place in 2001, giving the building its current glass façade. Sotheby’s owns the entirety of the 10-floor, 490,000-square-foot space, having purchased it in 2009. Home to the fine art brokers’ global business headquarters, the building also includes a saleroom, public gallery and café.

Developments and investments into life science space around Manhattan have breathed new life into the borough’s struggling office assets. Outside of the Upper East Side, the Far West Side has seen several high-profile transactions. In October, The Georgetown Co. announced its development of a 185,000-square-foot life science facility that will open in 2026.