EMD Serono, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, the Darmstadt, Germany-based healthcare and life sciences company, is investing another $70 million to double the size of its research and development facility in Billerica, Mass., which opened in February 2011.
The 145,000-sf expansion on 47 acres is expected to break ground in the second quarter of this year, and be completed by the second quarter of 2021. The new building will accommodate 400 new and current R&D employees who will focus on advancing science in oncology, immuno-oncology, and immunology.
Billerica’s Planning Board approved the expansion, without protest, on February 12, when it also okayed a waiver of a formal traffic study as long as the company provides a traffic memorandum for peer review. Merck KGaA’s investment includes about $55 million in construction costs, and several million dollars for laboratories and equipment.
With this latest project, Merck KGaA will have invested more than $150 million in infrastructure and construction in the state of Massachusetts, and created more than 150 new jobs. That investment “is a testament to the state’s global leadership in life sciences,” says Travis McCready, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.
When it’s completed, the new building will include wet labs, office space, and a cafeteria. It will be built to meet LEED and WELL performance standards. (The existing facility is WELL certified.) The Building Team on this project includes PM Group (architect), INTEC (interior design), Erland Construction (CM), BR+A Consulting Engineers (mechanical and electrical engineer), and BSC Group (CE).
Billerica is one of 10 locations in Massachusetts where Merck KGaA employs more than 2,800 people. Billerica is also one of Merck KGaA’s four global R&D hubs, the others being in Germany, Japan, and China. Merck KGaA invests about 20% of its total annual sales in R&D.
Related Stories
| Jul 19, 2013
Renovation, adaptive reuse stay strong, providing fertile ground for growth [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Increasingly, owners recognize that existing buildings represent a considerable resource in embodied energy, which can often be leveraged for lower front-end costs and a faster turnaround than new construction.
| Jul 2, 2013
LEED v4 gets green light, will launch this fall
The U.S. Green Building Council membership has voted to adopt LEED v4, the next update to the world’s premier green building rating system.
| Jul 1, 2013
Report: Global construction market to reach $15 trillion by 2025
A new report released today forecasts the volume of construction output will grow by more than 70% to $15 trillion worldwide by 2025.
| Jun 28, 2013
Building owners cite BIM/VDC as 'most exciting trend' in facilities management, says Mortenson report
A recent survey of more than 60 building owners and facility management professionals by Mortenson Construction shows that BIM/VDC is top of mind among owner professionals.
| Jun 5, 2013
USGBC: Free LEED certification for projects in new markets
In an effort to accelerate sustainable development around the world, the U.S. Green Building Council is offering free LEED certification to the first projects to certify in the 112 countries where LEED has yet to take root.
| Jun 3, 2013
Construction spending inches upward in April
The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that construction spending during April 2013 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $860.8 billion, 0.4 percent above the revised March estimate of $857.7 billion.
| May 3, 2013
'LEED for all GSA buildings,' says GSA Green Building Advisory Committee
The Green Building Advisory Committee established by the General Services Administration, officially recommended to GSA that the LEED green building certification system be used for all GSA buildings as the best measure of building efficiency.
| Apr 30, 2013
Tips for designing with fire rated glass - AIA/CES course
Kate Steel of Steel Consulting Services offers tips and advice for choosing the correct code-compliant glazing product for every fire-rated application. This BD+C University class is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
| Apr 24, 2013
Los Angeles may add cool roofs to its building code
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants cool roofs added to the city’s building code. He is also asking the Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to create incentives that make it financially attractive for homeowners to install cool roofs.
| Mar 15, 2013
Singapore R&D campus takes top honor in Lab of Year competition
Singapore CREATE R&D campus takes top honor in Lab of Year competition, sponsored by R&D Magazine.
