Life Science Evolves in Florida

Construction Sector is Building Momentum in Florida

By Angelle Bergeron

The state of Florida and a few world-renowned research institutes have been courting for some time now, and it’s destined to be a long-term relationship.

The blossoming romance in the burgeoning life-sciences market is evidenced by construction of three new projects: the $160 million Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, the $40.5 million Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies in Port St. Lucie and the $55 million Burnham Institute of Medical Research in Orlando.

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Life (or bio) sciences is one of the hottest markets in the country and generally encompasses bio, chemical and health research and development, says Russell Allen, president and CEO of Bio-Florida, the state’s bioscience industry trade association, which is based in West Palm Beach.

Over the past several years, the life-sciences industry has been a major focus of Florida politicians, developers and local communities interested in diversifying the state’s future economy. “We are happy to have tourism,” says Todd Holt, life sciences project manager for Enterprise Florida, an Orlando-headquartered public-private partnership devoted to statewide economic development. “That is our backbone, and we are not trying to differentiate ourselves from that. We just want more.”

And because of its highly skilled personnel, high wages and big return on investment, the life sciences industry is exactly what Florida wants, Holt says.

For example, Scripps wasn’t even looking to expand beyond its La Jolla, Calif., home, near San Diego, but then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush made a pitch to the institute’s president, says Ben Morris, vice president of facilities services with Scripps. Once the initial introductions were made, Florida had no problem wooing courters with its available real estate, economic incentives (statewide and local), access to universities and intellectual talent, and natural beauty.

And Florida has room to grow, something the San Diego area is lacking, Morris says. “The idea is to try to recreate the biotech cluster we have in San Diego,” he adds. “Bringing together a number of biomedical groups, both profit and nonprofit, is essentially the goal.”

 The life sciences market is known for being highly collaborative and fostering the exchange of ideas among scientists. But it’s also known for the continuous, economic development in corridors or communities of supportive or spin-off companies.

“The nature of this industry is that no organization survives on its own,” Allen says. “They have multiple collaborations with other organizations. They just can’t do everything themselves.”

That means more development in the communities immediately surrounding the institutes, as well as throughout the state.

The anticipated spillover effect is already being realized, Allen says. Max Planck, the world’s largest bioscience institute based in Germany, recently announced it will open its first American facility adjacent to Scripps in Jupiter.

“That is no accident, but a product of the science,” Allen says. “They wanted to collaborate with the scientists at Scripps.”

Meanwhile, Scripps and Torrey Pines are both centerpieces of multiuse developments that are already attracting other businesses. Burnham on Lake Nona is the focal point of a medical city that will also feature the new medical schools of the University of Florida and University of Central Florida, a Veterans Administration Hospital and Nemours Children’s Hospital.

Although Burnham is further removed physically from the other two developments, as each project progresses, they are enhancing the image of a healthy, burgeoning, statewide cluster and attracting more interest. “These institute projects were catalysts and have helped create interest all over the state,” Allen says.

Scripps

After years of delays due to legal issues, the $187 million Scripps Research Institute is being built on a 30-acre campus at Florida Atlantic University. The roughly $160 million contract held by the joint venture of the Weitz Co. of West Palm Beach and DPR Construction of San Diego for construction of three buildings and sitework represents a collaboration equal to that of the scientists who will grace the halls of the institute.

Biotech and pharmaceutical construction are core markets for DPR, which has performed work for Scripps in California, says Deborah Beetson, DPR’s project director and senior project manager. “We partnered with Weitz because they bring their expertise in building in the Florida market,” Beetson says.

Because the Florida market has been primarily made up of standard commercial and condominiums, there is a learning curve in life sciences construction, particularly for subcontractors.

“The difference is the degree of coordination required due to the intensive piping and ductwork present in these buildings and this type of facility,” Beetson says. “We’ve worked very hard for subs to understand that, first, we want to deliver a world-class project to Scripps, but also that we want our subs to be successful and take away knowledge to help them work smarter on the next project.”

Beetson adds that mechanical, electrical, plumbing and testing comprise roughly 45% of the total contract amount.

Site clearing began in October 2006, with the first of the foundation work on the three, cast-in-place concrete structures commencing January 2007. The joint venture of Zeidler Partnership of Toronto and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson of Pittsburgh designed the three buildings, which will focus on biomedical and biology research, drug discovery and chemistry. The project will include 128,436 sq ft of lab space. Weitz-DPR anticipates installing 143 fume hoods and 7, 020 linear ft. of lab benches.

Completion is set for December. The exterior shells of the buildings should be complete by March, allowing ample time for the technical MEP and laboratories.

Torrey Pines

The Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies in Port St. Lucie will be the first of the big three to be complete. It should finish in November 2008, which speaks volumes on the level of collaboration among architects, engineers, the city of Port St. Lucie and the contractor, Suffolk Construction Co. of West Palm Beach.

“In order to build a building, without a site even being picked out, in 18 months, is an incredible feat,” says John Planz, project executive with Suffolk. “We literally met with Torrey Pines in November 2006.” By May, Suffolk will begin installation of laboratory equipment.

Suffolk’s $40.5 million contract includes construction of a 100,000-sq-ft., three-story building topped with a fourth-floor, mechanical penthouse. Included in the structure is an 8,600-sq-ft. vivarium, where plants or animals will be raised for research.

The steel and poured-in-place concrete structure will be finished with concrete tilt-wall panels and glass curtain wall for a “high-tech, minimalist” look, Planz says.

Marrying the building’s LEED certification standards to the intense mechanical and electrical is probably one of the biggest challenges of the project, he says.

The facility will house more than $9 million in lab equipment and feature an educational outreach lab and four each biology and chemistry labs, each with about seven benches, says Sara Misselhorn, public affairs director for Torrey Pines. “We are contractually obligated to get 189 scientists in 10 years, but the building can hold up to 300,” she says. 

Although Suffolk has a history of life sciences construction in the Boston area, where it’s headquartered, introducing a new market to the local construction community isn’t easy. “It’s a much more difficult project to produce because of the mechanical systems, which are high end, compared to typical Florida projects of condos, commercial and office space,” Planz says.

He adds that planning, communication and collaboration balance out the immaturity of the market.

Burnham

Charlotte, N.C.-based BE&K Building Group’s $55 million contract to construct the Burnham Institute for Medical Research’s East Coast facility for Lake Nona Property Holdings is another tale of collaboration.

Burnham is the focal point of the 600-acre Lake Nona Science and Technology Park in Orlando, a $140 million investment for owner Lake Nona Property Holdings.

“It’s the beginning of this whole coming together between academia, private and public sector as it relates to research and development,” says Mark Hefferin, BE&K’s executive vice president and head of the Orlando office. “The collaboration and commitment of team members have allowed us to get this project out of the ground faster.”

Burnham plans to employ more than 300 people at the site over the next 10 years. Capabilities of the Lake Nona facility will complement the La Jolla, Calif.-based institute’s research in the areas of cancer, neurosciences and aging research, and infectious and inflammatory diseases, as well as allow expansion in diabetes and obesity research.  “Burnham has some cutting edge technology they are going to be introducing into this facility that is unique and challenging for us,” Hefferin says.

BE&K broke ground in October on the 175,000-sq-ft. primarily poured-in-place concrete structure, and the Burnham facility is scheduled for occupancy in March 2009.

BE&K has 20 years of experience in life-sciences construction in the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, but it’s exciting to be in a new area like Florida, Hefferin says.

“This is something that could be as significant as Disney was over 40 years ago,” he adds.