Harvard University is coming back to the Arsenal on the Charles, this time teaming with MIT, local hospitals and corporate sponsors to create a biotech manufacturing center in the former U.S. Army Arsenal.
The new center will be called the Massachusetts Center for Advanced Biological Innovation and Manufacturing, and will be located in 40,000 sq. ft. of a building located off North Beacon Street in the complex.
The coalition has raised $76 million toward the $100 million price for the cost of building and running the center for five years, according to a story in the Boston Globe.
Other investors include Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, GE life-sciences spinoff Cytiva, lab supplier MilliporeSigma and Alexandria Real Estate Equities (owners of the Arsenal on the Charles). Last week, Fujifilm announced a $40 million investment to set up the manufacturing facility.
Harvard University owned the complex after purchasing it in 2001 following a Superfund cleanup of the former military site. The university sold Arsenal on the Charles to Athenahealth in 2012, but Harvard University Business School Publishing continued to operate there a few years after the sale. In December 2019, Athenahealth sold the complex to Alexandria.
Will they be Exempt from Property Taxes??
I think taxes will have to be paid because they won’t own the building.
What kind of biotech manufacturing? What safety levels will be in place to safeguard Watertown?
Especially the people who abut the property.
Last I remember we only were allowing BSL1-2 or 3 but I just saw a 2020 Doc referencing BLS4! Good question as I could not find a definitive answer on Watertown’s site. The health department head should know.
There are two virtual public meetings planned about Alexandria Real Estate Equities (owner of the site) plans, first on Feb 3. Here is the link:
https://www.watertown-ma.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=22518