Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the groundbreaking of the Taystee Lab Building, an 11-story, 350,000 s/f LEED-Certified Class-A property in West Harlem that will serve as a state-of-the-art home for companies and organizations in the life sciences, technology, academia, non-profit and arts sectors in the Manhattanville Factory District.
Developed by Janus Property Company, the new building will be the anchor of the district, which stretches from West 125th Street to West 128th Street and includes both new construction and the redevelopment of former industrial buildings.
“Harlem has an incredible history and is also in the midst of an exciting renaissance, and this new building will be an important investment in the neighborhood’s future,” said Governor Cuomo. “The Taystee Building will provide state-of-the-art life sciences labs and educational organizations with a home just steps from all the best sites this neighborhood has to offer.”
Situated on the site of the former Taystee bread bakery, the ground-up development will be a tech-enabled space that can accommodate a range of tenants, from life sciences to creative TAMI and academic users.
Flexible floor plates will run from 36,000 s/f at the base to 15,000 s/f in the penthouse, while all floors will have 14 ft. ceilings with floor-to-ceiling glass. Additionally, the project will have nearly 20,000 s/f of outdoor space, including a landscaped courtyard with direct access to the Manhattanville Factory District.
Steps away from subway lines and one stop from Midtown Manhattan, the Taystee Lab Building is located next door to both Columbia University, including its new business school and the Jerome Greene Science Center, as well as the New York Structural Biology Center and the City College of New York, which includes the CUNY Center for Discovery and Innovation and the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center.
The property was sold to Janus Property by the New York City Economic Development Corporation after a city-wide competition and was designed by LevenBetts Architects and SLCE Architects.
To support Janus’ investment of up to $350 million to demolish the dilapidated former factory and build the new Taystee Lab Building, Empire State Development has offered up to $10 million in performance-based grants. The building is on track for substantial completion in late 2020.
Howard Zemsky, Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner, said, “With the Manhattanville Factory District, Janus Property Company is breathing new life into long-vacant properties – and bringing more jobs, community space and educational institutions into the Harlem community.”
Winston Fisher, Partner at Fisher Brothers and NYC REDC Co-Chair, said, “The Taystee Building will turn underutilized land into a dynamic hub for laboratories, stores, and educational and community groups – helping further Harlem’s growth and creating opportunities for New Yorkers.”
“The Taystee Lab Building will continue Janus’s ongoing, 30-year effort to preserve the integrity of the area while bringing in innovators at the forefront of their fields to reinvigorate the neighborhood’s commercial zone,” said Scott Metzner, Principal, Janus Property Company.
“This new building addresses both the growing life science presence in West Harlem and the scarcity of available space to accommodate that growth throughout New York City. More and more, tenants are recognizing the convenience of the neighborhood, the beautiful location, historic districts, parks and riverfront and the extraordinary concentration of research and cultural groups here.”
Cheryl A. Moore, President and Chief Operating Officer of the New York Genome Center and NYC REDC Co-Chair, said, “New York’s life sciences industry is emerging in every corner of our city and state. The Taystee Lab Building is exciting evidence of the sector’s continued growth, offering support for growing life sciences companies as they expand.”
