Bionova Scientific could break ground on a 70K SF office and lab building in The Woodlands as soon as next week, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
:no_upscale():quality(75))
The project at 2625 Research Forest Blvd. is part of the biologics development and manufacturing company's planned $100M investment in The Woodlands, a city that’s growing a reputation as an emerging life sciences hub.
The TDLR filing lists an estimated start date of March 24, though these filings are often preliminary and subject to change.
The filing is titled Project Odyssey, but The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership CEO Jevon Gibb confirmed to the Houston Business Journal that the filing refers to Bionova Scientific’s planned facility.
Bionova is planning to build ground-up buildings and redevelop existing facilities in The Woodlands, Bionova Chief Scientific Officer Jesse McCool said at Bisnow’s Houston Life Sciences Conference last month.
The 70K SF office and lab building is a greenfield development, he said, adding that Perkins & Will is designing the building and Lee Engineering & Construction will build it.
Bionova didn't immediately respond to Bisnow’s requests for comment.
The project includes a two-story building with office, laboratory and clean room spaces as well as shelled space for future build-out, according to the filing. The estimated cost of the project is $20M.
Eventually, Bionova plans to construct a 100K SF facility in The Woodlands to develop and produce research-grade plasmid DNA, Bionova Chief Operating Officer James Glover told BioProcess Insider. It was originally expected to open during the first quarter of this year and be producing pDNA by June.
The Woodlands has been a hub of biomanufacturing investments in recent years, including the opening of a 318K SF life sciences complex from California-based REIT Alexandria Real Estate Equities in 2023 and a 76K SF biomanufacturing facility from San Diego-based Cellipont Bioservices in 2024.
