Plans for H-2, the second phase of the Health & Life Science Exchange in downtown New Brunswick, will include 360,000 square feet of build-to-suit lab and office space for Nokia Bell Labs. It would rise alongside a first phase that’s now under construction and slated to include a facility known as the New Jersey Innovation HUB, a new home for the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a center for what’s known as translational research. — Courtesy: New Brunswick Development Corp.
By Joshua Burd
The developers of what will be nearly 370,000 square feet of lab and office space in New Brunswick, the future home of Nokia Bell Labs, could break ground next month after securing a 10-year, $103.9 million tax credit award under the state’s Aspire program.
The Economic Development Authority, which administers the program, approved the subsidy Wednesday during its monthly board meeting. That paves the way for the second phase of the New Jersey Health + Life Science Exchange campus across from the New Brunswick train station, where Nokia’s industrial research arm would occupy a 10-story, 369,749-square-foot tower just south of Albany Street.
SJP Properties is constructing what’s known as H-2 under a joint venture with North Haven Net REIT, while New Brunswick Development Corp. is the campus’ master developer. Nokia will occupy the facility under a 20-year mater lease, bringing some 1,000 scientists, engineers and other talent to the city from its longtime home in the Murray Hill section of Union County.
“This approval by the NJEDA Board serves as another milestone in our mission to cement New Jersey as a national leader in technological innovation, helping strengthen the New Brunswick community and create long-term economic growth across the state,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “Through the partnership of major institutions, like Nokia Bell Labs, the HELIX will support the creation of advanced technologies and allow startups to scale their business and commercialize lifechanging inventions.”
The approval comes two years after the EDA approved a $271 million tax credit for the HELIX’s first phase, which will include 574,000 square feet housing the New Jersey Innovation HUB incubator, the new home of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a Rutgers University translational research facility. The project is slated to come online starting this year as the Nokia tower begins construction, which would take some 27 months.
Officials noted that H-2 will be a research and development facility with chemistry and biology laboratories, data centers, 3D printing areas, machine shops, office space and conference rooms. The building’s main lobby will include a technology showcase and a coffee shop, which will have access to the Paseo, a public outdoor space connecting the Rutgers campus, the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital district, the train station and the city’s government and arts district.
It would also join a planned third phase of the HELIX, which currently calls for 250 apartments over a 240,000-square-foot podium of lab and office space.
“The HELIX serves as a cornerstone of Governor Murphy’s vision to supercharge New Jersey’s economy and retain our legacy as a national leader in innovation,” said Tim Sullivan, the EDA’s CEO. “The Aspire program fuels catalytic development projects that transform communities into dynamic, transit-oriented hubs, ideal for living, working, and doing business. With today’s Aspire award, Nokia Bell Labs addition to the HELIX will further support New Brunswick’s innovation ecosystem by creating cutting-edge technology, high-quality jobs, and long-term economic growth that will benefit generations of New Jerseyans.”
Last month, the EDA announced it will partner with Nokia Bell Labs to launch a Strategic Innovation Center consisting of the NJ Nokia Innovation Center and Bell Labs Venture Studio, both of which will eventually be located at H-2. Both components will be focused on enabling startups to accelerate and commercialize intellectual property from Nokia Bell Labs and local universities with an emphasis on the fields of communication, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and optical and wireless networks.
“We are thrilled that the NJEDA Board has approved the Aspire tax credits for the second phase of the HELIX project,” Nokia Chief Strategy and Technology Officer Nishant Batra said. “New Jersey has long been a significant hub for innovation, and this significant achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support from Governor Murphy and the NJEDA through the Aspire program. This state-of-the-art facility will not only enhance our research and development capabilities, but will also drive the creation of cutting-edge technology, generate new jobs, and stimulate long-term economic growth in the state through the NJ Nokia Innovation Center and the Bell Labs Venture Studio.”
HDR Architects and Engineers PC is spearheading the project’s design.
“This investment in New Brunswick’s HELIX campus is another example of how New Jersey is solidifying its position as a national leader in life sciences and technological innovation,” state Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin said. “With world-class partners like Nokia Bell Labs and transformative programs like Aspire, we’re building on an already impressive ecosystem that draws in top talent, keeping New Jersey at the cutting edge of global innovation. Further, major public-private partnerships such as the HELIX illustrates to the American and foreign private sector job-creators that New Jersey can get big things done with the right leadership and vision in place.”
The Aspire tax credit package, which is not disbursed until the project’s completion, represents up to 80 percent of the eligible project cost, not to exceed $103.9 million.
“The approval of Aspire tax credits for H-2 marks another transformative step in New Brunswick’s evolution as a hub for cutting-edge research, innovation, and economic growth,” New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill said. “Nokia Bell Labs’ decision to establish its headquarters in New Brunswick is a tremendous opportunity that will further enhance our city’s role as a leader in technological advancement. This move will attract top-tier talent, drive new investment, and create opportunities that will benefit our community for years to come.”
