PORTLAND'S NEW BIOTECH DEVELOPMENT IN THE EAST SIDE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT
Summit Development Group's second for-lease bioscience-focused project, the NIR Center, will feature 190,000 sq. ft. of laboratory space, 65,000 sq. ft.of creative office and 5,000 sq. ft. ground-floor retail with childcare center potential. The development aims to provide much-needed laboratory and research space in the Portland metro area, giving the opportunity for Oregon-based startup companies to grow and thrive in the central city.
Projected to break ground in Q2 2020, the world-class NIR center will feature a gross total of 347,000 sq. ft. across two buildings connected in the middle in an open H-layout.Maximum mechanical efficiency, a programmatic layout, access control, lab-specific building systems, innovative construction materials and Bio Safety Level 2 (BSL2) labs will accommodate the needs and requirements of unique lab science and research users. The particular phasing of the construction process will allow for seamless expansion and minimal interruption to users as additional phases come online.
Mid-level office space, top-floor conference facilities, ground-floor retail and on-site basement parking will round out the development's wide offerings. The creation of outdoor gathering and socializing space will also be a focus.
Portland's own Hennebery Eddy Architects' mass timber building designs will be realized by R&H Construction, also based locally in Portland. Strategic partners for the development include the Oregon Bioscience Association, the Oregon Translational Research & Development Institute (OTRADI) and the Portland Innovation Quadrant, whose founding partners include OHSU, OMSI, OTRADI, Portland Community College, Portland State University, Prosper Portland, Providence Health, Autodesk, and Technology Association of Oregon.
Situated in the heart of the Innovation Quadrant at the intersection of SE 10th Avenue and SE Stark Street and inside the east side's Opportunity Zone , the project will form the backbone of the area's repurposing of a formerly industrial-zoned block into a hub for bio, life science and medical research and development. Nearby, Summit Development Group's 40,000 sq. ft. Eastside Innovation Hub project will also bolster the area's revitalization as a bioscience, laboratory and collaborative destination.