The new NJIT @ NEST Center for Translational Research in Kenilworth will occupy part of a 1.2 million-square-foot building now known as 15 NEST, which up until recently served as Merck & Co.’s global research headquarters. — Courtesy: Onyx Equities
By Joshua Burd
New Jersey Institute of Technology is planting a flag at the Northeast Science and Technology Center in Kenilworth, with plans to open a new research hub at the fast-growing campus.
The school, along with Gov. Phil Murphy and a joint venture led by Onyx Equities, announced Thursday that it would occupy 25,000 square feet as the property’s first academic partner, marking another milestone in the repositioning of the former Merck & Co. site on Galloping Hill Road. Its space at building 15 NEST will be home to the NJIT @ NEST Center for Translational Research, a facility that it says will allow professors and students to conduct groundbreaking research and accelerate the transformation of discoveries into tangible solutions for real-world problems.
“New Jersey is at the forefront of life sciences and technology innovation, and this partnership between NJIT and the NEST Center solidifies our position as a global leader in these critical industries,” Murphy said. “By investing in academic-industry partnerships, we’re not only fostering groundbreaking research but also creating jobs and driving economic growth that benefits all New Jerseyans. I’m proud to see NJIT and NEST lead the way in shaping the future of science and technology.”
Dan Loughlin of JLL and Jonathan Scheinberg of Outshine Properties represented the ownership group of Onyx Equities, Machine Investment Group and Pivot Real Estate Partners, while a Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP team led by Charles J. Wilkes served as leasing counsel to NJIT. The deal follows the recent announcements that Revlon will relocate its science and innovation lab to a separate 62,000-square-foot space at 15 NEST, while artificial intelligence startup CoreWeave will establish a massive data center at 11 NEST.
Notably, the announcement said, the location of CoreWeave and NJIT will support the highly acclaimed university’s growth in machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing and robotics, with the goal of becoming a major player in AI innovation in higher education.
“This partnership will provide NJIT’s researchers with access to first-class lab spaces and will open up tremendous opportunities for collaboration with others at the NEST Center,” NJIT President Teik C. Lim said. “This opportunity aligns perfectly with our vision and new strategic plan, which calls for an expansion of NJIT’s role as a nexus of innovation that brings together people and ideas from around the world to spur creativity, innovation and high-impact practical research.”
NJIT’s researchers and students will use the facility to explore cutting-edge fields, including life sciences, biomedical engineering, biology, material science and engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, computing and artificial intelligence, according to a news release.
“The ecosystem created between the private and public sector and both large companies and startups is best anchored by academia,” said John Saraceno, co-founder and managing principal of Onyx Equities. “For these reasons, we felt it was critical to bring NJIT — an institution of the highest caliber — to NEST. The decision for the university to move these facilities to the NEST campus will positively impact both health care and humanity.”
Revlon takes 62,000 sq. ft. for R&D hub at Onyx-led NEST campus in Kenilworth
