Transwestern will develop a 390K biomanufacturing facility in the Vaca Valley Business Park in Vacaville, California.

The project will be built in two phases, with Phase 1 totaling more than 230K SF, with an estimated completion date in summer 2024, followed by the second phase containing 158K SF.

“Vacaville is a biomanufacturing leader in the U.S., making this area incredibly attractive to companies looking for modern facilities in a region with a critical shortage of available life sciences space,” Transwestern Ventures Managing Partner Fred Knapp said in a press release. “Some of the world’s leading life sciences firms have come to Vacaville to capitalize on the synergies created by a combination of extraordinary talent, relative affordability and the city’s strong economic and demographic trends.”

Vacaville has heavily targeted biomanufacturing development over the past two years. The city in 2020 funded the California Biomanufacturing Center with a goal of turning Vacaville into a biomanufacturing hub.

Agenus Inc. previously purchased 120 acres in the city from developer A.G. Spanos in 2021, another big win for the city’s biomanufacturing plans.

Vacaville has expedited the approval process for such projects, with Don Burrus, economic development director for the city, telling the San Francisco Business Times that such projects could see approval in just 90 days. The city is also actively seeking investors and manufacturers to build within this asset class.