Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. celebrated the initial groundbreaking for its Alexandria Center at Kendall Sq., a $500 million, 1.73 million s/f, 11-acre, build-to-suit science and technology campus. The Alexandria Center's first building at 225 Binney St. will house Biogen Idec when the biotechnology company returns its executive offices to Cambridge in 2013.
Dignitaries attending the groundbreaking ceremony included governor Deval Patrick and mayor David Maher. Consigli Construction Co. is the general contractor.
The first build-to-suit facility at the Alexandria Center at Kendall Sq., 225 Binney St., will house Biogen Idec. The six-story, 307,000 s/f, environmentally sustainable building is being designed specifically for Biogen Idec by Spagnolo Gisness & Associates, Inc. The design will feature a glass and terra cotta facade and will incorporate two historic buildings.
The Alexandria Center at Kendall Sq. is planned to be the epicenter of collaboration at the city's Kendall Sq. innovation cluster. Ultimately comprising five buildings with laboratory and office settings, as well as a variety of spaces designed to encourage collaboration, the Alexandria Center at Kendall Sq. will complement the city's scientific and management talent, smart capital, and scientific research and academic institutions.
"Kendall Sq. is one of the world's preeminent biotechnology clusters," said George Scangos, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Biogen Idec. "The proximity to academic researchers, teaching hospitals and other biotech companies fosters the collaboration and exchange of scientific ideas that breeds innovation. We're looking forward to bringing all of our Massachusetts employees back together in this one location, and I believe it will help build the kind of culture and teamwork that is critical to our success as a company."
Alexandria is the dominant life science developer in the Cambridge submarket, which is a world-leading intellectual hub of innovation. In the Greater Boston market, Alexandria currently has 100 world-class client tenants including the Mass. Institute of Technology, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Novartis AG, Eisai Co., Ltd., Biogen Idec Inc., University of Mass. Medical School, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories, and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., among others. Alexandria is the landlord of Choice to the Life Science Industry with square footage approximating 3.5 million s/f in the Greater Boston area, including Alexandria's Technology Sq., which is one of the world's leading multi-tenant life science campuses.
"Biogen Idec's selection of the Alexandria Center at Kendall Sq. for its executive offices demonstrates the unparalleled quality, flexibility, and cutting-edge design that define Alexandria's assets worldwide," said Tom Andrews, executive vice president and regional market director of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. "Global biopharmaceutical companies are strategically locating in Alexandria's collaborative and entrepreneurial Cambridge submarket to increase productivity and innovation for the translation of key medical breakthroughs."
"The innovation economy is Massachusetts' global calling card and projects like the Alexandria Center confirm that our investments are paying off," said governor Patrick. "Alexandria's Kendall Sq. development will create new jobs for the region and strengthen our already robust innovation economy."
Each innovative and unique facility at the Alexandria Center at Kendall Sq. will be designed by award winning architects to create an environment that will preserve and incorporate existing historic buildings with modern architecture. They will be designed and operated at the forefront of sustainability, including LEED certification, and will feature a two-acre park, landscaping and river access. A street level will offer restaurants, meeting spaces, and a retail corridor with access to public transportation.
Shown (from left) are: Representative Tim Toomey, Cambridge mayor David Maher; Tom Andrews, Alexandria Real Estate; Susan Windham-Bannister, Mass Life Sciences Center; Joel Marcus, Alexandria Real Estate, Inc.; Governor Deval Patrick; George Scangos, Biogen Idec; and Doug Linde, Boston Properties.