31 Shalks Crossing Road in Plainsboro — Courtesy: NAI Fennelly
By Joshua Burd
The owner of a pharmaceutical research and manufacturing complex in Plainsboro has put the property on the market for sale, brokerage firm NAI Fennelly said Tuesday.
Built in the 1950s, the property at 31 Shalks Crossing Road consists of 50,150 square feet on 31 acres just off Route 1, according to a news release. It’s also the site of what was the nation’s first privately owned nuclear reactor, its original use, serving as a research facility for institutions such as Princeton University and playing a key role in the U.S. nuclear power program.
“Since its construction, 31 Shalks Crossing Road has served as an important piece of New Jersey’s scientific community and an invaluable contributor to the state’s research economy,” said Jerry Fennelly, president of NAI Fennelly. “Although it has outlived its original Atomic Age purpose, this facility’s adaptability and location ensure it is well-positioned to continue to stand on the forefront of cutting-edge research and represents a rare opportunity to acquire a turnkey pharmaceutical research and manufacturing facility in the heart of one of New Jersey’s most desirable life sciences markets.”
In the announcement, Fennelly noted that the reactor was shut down in the late 1970s due to the growing local population and ongoing funding concerns. It found a second use as a life sciences facility after undergoing extensive remediation and renovation, the firm said, noting that it served as the home to a leading manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals for 20 years.
The property is now available after a reorganization by its current owner, the news release said. Fennelly said the facility holds an Advanced Pharmaceutical Ingredients certification and consists of a 17,000-square-foot office lab with 10 chemical hoods, an 18,000-square-foot office lab with six clean rooms, a 5,000-square-foot refrigerated building, a 6,000-square-foot warehouse and a 4,150-square-foot evaporator building.
The facility also has a new roof, a newly installed backup generator, an FDA-licensed septic field and a 400-foot-deep purified well, among other features, in addition to its proximity to thousands of life sciences companies in central New Jersey.
