Danforth Center unveils plans for new research park

From the St. Louis Business Journal, Tuesday, January 15, 2008 - 5:14 PM CST

A new research park will be constructed at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center to support the needs of start-up life science companies, the Danforth Center announced Tuesday.

The first of three new buildings in the Bio-Research and Development Growth Park is the $36.1 million, 118,000-square-foot multi-tenant, post-incubation, wet laboratory and office building. The building, which will house more than six companies, will create more than 390 construction jobs and once completed will be home to more than 340 full-time jobs, the Danforth Center said.

A Danforth spokesman said site work has commenced and the building is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2009.

Hanover, Md.-based Wexford Science + Technology is the project's developer.

The research park comes at a time when demand for larger lab and office space from companies in St. Louis' science-focused business incubators, such as the NIDUS Center and the Center for Emerging Technologies, is increasing, Wexford President James Berens said in a statement.

Because the buildings within the park will be on the Danforth Center's campus, researchers will have direct access to the Danforth Center's greenhouse, growth chambers, microscopy and proteomics facilities and other scientific equipment at significantly reduced costs, according to a release. Plus, Danforth Center scientists will be readily available to discuss research initiatives.

Eventually all the buildings will contain adjoining wet laboratory and office spaces to support the scientific and business needs of emerging life science companies more efficiently, according to a release.

"The new Bio-Research and Development Growth Park at the Danforth Center is designed to provide a bridge to help turn innovative ideas in plant and life sciences into commercial successes," Danforth Center Chief Operating Officer Sam Fiorello said in a statement.

The project is being supported with $1 million in Missouri state tax credits, according to a release. Wexford made a $2 million contribution to the Missouri Development Finance Board to secure the $1 million in tax credits. The city of Creve Coeur represented the project in the application for contribution state tax credits from the finance board.

Wexford Science + Technology specializes in real estate solutions for high technology and life sciences companies.

Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research institute with a global vision to improve the human condition.