NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — New York City-based SJP Properties has unveiled plans for the second and third phases of the HELIX Health + Life Science Exchange, a $731 million life sciences development in New Brunswick, about 45 miles south of Manhattan.
Developed in partnership with New Brunswick Development Corp., Phase II of the project will be known as H-2 and will feature 600,000 square feet of build-to-suit lab and office space that can accommodate a range of users. The final phase of HELIX, H-3, will include a 42-story mixed-use building that will have traditional office space and 220 units of housing in addition to life sciences space.
The first phase of HELIX, known as H-1, is currently under construction adjacent to Rutgers University’s campus in the downtown area. Totaling 574,000 square feet, H-1 will house the New Jersey Innovation HUB, the new home of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a Rutgers translational research facility equipped with a variety of labs.
The initial phase of the project will also have a 10,000-square-foot market hall with food options and a 3,000-square-foot restaurant that opens onto a 70-foot-wide plaza.
The site of the four-acre innovation district is across the street from the New Brunswick train station, which will soon undergo a $49 million redevelopment. The property also offers proximity to the headquarters and regional offices of several major pharmaceutical companies, including Johnson & Johnson and Bristol Myers Squibb.
HDR is the project architect for Phase II of HELIX. JLL has been appointed as the leasing agent. Construction timelines for Phase II and Phase III were not disclosed.
“The unique combination of Northeast corridor train service, Big Ten college town atmosphere and the expanding presence of New Jersey’s most prominent higher education, corporate and healthcare stakeholders make the HELIX project incredibly attractive for innovation and talent recruitment,” says Daniel Loughlin, vice chairman at JLL.
“New Jersey is one of the most important regions in the country for the life sciences industry, with New Brunswick emerging as a hotbed for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in recent years,” adds Steve Pozycki, CEO of SJP Properties. “As more innovators enter the region, the location of their research and development facilities will be of paramount importance.”
— Taylor Williams