A major new life sciences building has begun construction at 2226 Third Avenue in East Harlem. To anchor the northwest corner of East 121st Street, the venture is among several new life science projects in the city poised to take advantage of a state and city government-led push to build laboratories and incubator spaces for medical research.
The ground-up 160,345-square foot development is now making headway on its foundation and in approximately two years, the 145-foot-tall structure will deliver ten floors of laboratory space catering to biotech start-ups. The building is being designed by DXA Studio, with The Rinaldi Group (TRG)
serving as the general contractor and GACE as structural engineers.
Rendering of the building's planned entrance on East 121st Street
Building lobby
Renderings published by TRG reveal a blocky, 145-foot-tall structure that will feature a gridded corium brick and metal panel façade with deeply-inset 'VIEW Smart Glass Windows' interspersed between. The main entrance will be on narrow East 121st Street and there will be green roofs on setbacks and on the main roof.
Life science buildings typically require high ceilings for extensive ductwork and electrical systems, as well as structurally-robust floor slabs that dampen vibration. Furthermore, this building will have five elevators, three generators, and a loading dock for the secure arrival and removal of sensitive materials.
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The life sciences industry has been an emerging sector in the city's economy over the past decade and remains one of the few bright spots in the city's pandemic-stricken commercial market. As part of an initiative known as LifeSci NYC, this past June, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced
that the city will double its investment to $1 billion to further develop the life sciences industry. This includes an additional $200 million to support the construction of much-needed commercial lab space and incubators.
In 2017, sixty blocks of East Harlem were rezoned to allow for taller, denser construction as well as fostering a commercial activity along certain avenues. As we previously covered in this round-up, the fruits of the effort can be seen in more than a dozen new developments on the drawing board with the expectation that approximately 3,500 housing units will ultimately be produced.
The Lexington Avenue line's 125th Street station, serving the 4,5, and 6 is the closest subway line to the project. Metro North's Harlem 125th Street station can also be found on Park Avenue which makes for easy commutes to Grand Central, Westchester County, and Connecticut. The recently ratified Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is expected to jumpstart Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway, which will stretch the line an additional 1.5 miles northward from its current terminus at 96th Street. As part of the line, three new subway stations will open in East Harlem at 106th Street, 116th Street, and 125th Street.
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