Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that Harlem Biospace will open its second incubator space.
Thge space is in the Mink Building at 1361 Amsterdam Avenue in West Harlem’s Factory District. Harlem Biospace is a biotech incubator that offers affordable shared wet lab space for early-stage small and mid-sized life science companies. The facility will help fulfill a need for lab space for biotech companies with growing teams and for those graduating from shared spaces and facilities. The Manhattanville Factory District is a 1.2mm rsf master-planned innovation campus developed by the Janus Property Company.
“With this expansion, Harlem Biospace is positioning the community as a world-class destination for researchers and businesses in the life sciences industry,” Governor Hochul said. “We are making Harlem a hub for scientific innovation, and my administration remains committed to supporting projects like this to bring the jobs of tomorrow to our great state.”
Harlem Biospace’s first incubator space is in the Sweets Building in the Factory District. This venture will result in a 10,250-square-foot step-out graduation incubator lab for approximately 12-15 companies that are too large for typical lab incubators, but too small to lease a private commercial lab. It will have a total capacity of up to 210 researchers. The offices and lab space will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and amenities with access to equipment and resources, including incubators, centrifuges and biosafety cabinets, and biohazardous and chemical waste disposal. The project also includes 11,000 square feet of space for a life science anchor tenant, currently Volastra Therapeutics, a New York-based drug discovery and therapeutics company pioneering novel approaches to treating cancer.
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York continues to make strategic investments to enhance and grow the life sciences and biotech ecosystem in New York City. Smart investments that support groundbreaking companies will bolster the workforce of tomorrow and strengthen New York’s position as a leader in scientific advancements.”
Recognizing the importance of supporting the growing life sciences industry in New York State, this project was recommended by the New York City Regional Economic Development Council and awarded a $1.5 million grant from Empire State Development. This project aligns with the Regional Economic Development Council’s regional plan to support growing life-science companies and bolster the life sciences workforce in New York City.
New York City Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs Winston Fisher, Partner at Fisher Brothers, and Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, City University of New York Chancellor, said, “New York City is home to groundbreaking institutions that have contributed to the advancement of state-of-the-art discoveries. With the expansion of Harlem Biospace, growing biotech companies will be able to join a community of entrepreneurs and will be able to continue working on their breakthrough technologies while being in an invigorating environment.”
Representative Adriano Espaillat said, “Today’s announcement of Biotech incubator’s expansion to Harlem is a game changer and I commend Governor Hochul for providing students with increased access to STEM training. This is transformative to Harlem and other urban markets – turning them into technology and innovation hubs that fully engage in the digital economy. The incubator spurs diversity in the fields of broadband, transportation, health care, agriculture, and finance to drive innovation. Including more racially and ethnically diverse students means bringing different lenses, experiences, questions, and passions all while strengthening these fields for the better.”
State Senator Cordell Cleare said, “I am grateful for Governor Hochul’s constant, thoughtful and proactive support of our important Harlem institutions. Harlem Biospace has proven to be a wonderful community partner that provides meaningful opportunities for our residents and small businesses while pursuing noble missions within the Bioscience field. I look forward to their continued growth within our neighborhoods and partnership within our community.”
New York City Councilmember Shaun Abreu said, “Harlem Biospace is a cutting-edge, biotech incubator that will super-charge innovation, jobs, and research in New York and District 7. The small and mid-sized life science and biotech companies that benefit from this space will bolster West Harlem’s reputation as a hub of entrepreneurship throughout our state. I want to thank Governor Hochul for once again investing in our neighborhoods.”
Founder and Principal of Janus Property Company Scott Metzner said, “The Mink Building and The Manhattanville Factory District are well prepared to support this next iteration of Harlem Biospace, which has been extremely successful in The Sweets Building. By forging this agreement, Harlem Biospace at Mink will be able to offer premium lab space and services to growing companies in the evolving life sciences ecosystem in West Harlem. This is further validation that The Manhattanville Factory District will continue to serve as a space for innovative companies and breakthroughs for many years to come.”
Harlem Biospace Co-Founder Sam Sia said, “We are pleased to expand our support for life-science companies to private labs, to complement our existing offering of an open shared lab. It is thrilling to do so in West Harlem, which is emerging as one of the most vibrant innovation clusters in New York City, adjacent to leading academic campuses and within the rich culture of the Harlem community.”
Through strategic investments, New York fuels the creation of cutting-edge advancements in biopharmaceutical, device and diagnostic research, development and manufacturing. New York City is home to innovative biomedical research companies that drives the thriving life-science industry in New York State. Previously, Governor Hochul announced the opening of the Factory District’s $700 Million state-of-the-art Taystee Lab Building, an 11-story, 350,000 rsf lab building to support the growing life sciences ecosystem in the West Harlem arts and innovation corridor. Harlem Biospace’s proximity to Taystee Lab and academic institutes, such as Columbia Morningside and Manhattanville campuses and the City University of New York’s City College provides the vital ecosystem required for life science companies to flourish. Through its support of projects like Harlem Biospace at Mink and the Taystee Lab Building, New York is expanding its ability to commercialize research and spur the growth of a world-class life science industry in New York City and across the state.
Photo credit: Harlem Biospace.
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