The Florida branch of Swedish construction giant Skanska has won a $27m contract to design and build a new mixed-use lab and office project for the University of South Florida’s Research Park in Tampa.
The three-story life sciences building designed by Gensler will house 120,000 square feet of office and lab space, with ground-floor retail and dining options.
Completion is estimated for the autumn of 2021, at which point the new facility will expand the capacity of the research park by 30%.
"With this investment into biotechnology and life sciences research, USF will further stimulate our regional economy in the Tampa Bay region," said Michael C. Brown, executive vice president and general manager of Skanska’s Florida building operations.
"We look forward to delivering a project that will help the university to promote innovation, entrepreneurism and the discovery of new technologies that will have a positive impact on our community."
Skanska is currently nearing completion of the university’s Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute.
The company built two buildings totalling 230,000 square feet of lab and office space that opened at the original research park in 2005.
Image: Artist’s render of the mixed-use lab and office project commissioned by the University of South Florida (Courtesy of Skanska)
