Trammell Crow to develop life science campus in Maryland

World commercial real estate developer Trammell Crow Company (TCC) has unveiled plans to develop a life science campus, The Labs at Belward, in the Shady Grove area of Montgomery County, Maryland.

The Labs at Belward, located at the Belward Campus of The Johns Hopkins University, will initially include 757,000 square feet of trophy lab and research and discovery space across three buildings.

TCC said the project has the potential to grow to approximately 1.6 million square feet across seven buildings.

Construction of the initial 757,000 square feet will begin June 2023 and is slated to be completed in early 2025.

Trammell Crow Company entered a 99-year ground lease with The Johns Hopkins University for approximately 20.62-acres of its Belward Campus.

”TCC’s objective is to advance the collective vision for a world-class life science, research and development, and biodiscovery campus. This project is also another example of the Montgomery County’s 2010 Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan to further create a dynamic live/work community that supports the life science industry,” said the company in a statement.

“The Labs at Belward is a first-of-its-kind innovation ecosystem within a campus environment akin to a collegiate setting,” said Eric Fischer, Managing Director, of TCC’s MidAtlantic office. “The thought leading design of this project will enable world-class life science users to have flexibility for future growth and expansion. The location within Shady Grove also places the labs in Maryland’s preeminent life science node, close to innovative companies that are contributing to the area’s life sciences sector growth. Most importantly, we appreciate the opportunity to work in close alignment with both The Johns Hopkins University and with Montgomery County to activate this critically important site in a manner that advances the University’s and the County’s shared life sciences vision.”

The Labs at Belward will be built to support BSL Category-2 laboratory functions and will include 18-foot deck-to-deck ceiling heights on both the basement and ground floors, with 16-foot heights on all other floors. Each building will incorporate outdoor balconies and terraces, as well as exceptional tenant amenities and supporting retail.

The project, which is designed to achieve LEED Gold standard, will be supported by secured structured parking and will also feature an expansive six-acre public park that will include an amphitheater, recreational fields, and two retail pavilions totaling approximately 6,000 square feet. The plan also includes activating large wooded buffer areas, installing several miles of bike and walking trails, and preserving the site’s significant natural elements.

“We eagerly await the realization of The Labs at Belward as an integral component of the overall vision for the Belward Camus of The Johns Hopkins University” stated Mitch Bonanno, Chief Real Estate Officer for The Johns Hopkins University and Medicine. “We are delighted that this milestone ground lease and project will serve to facilitate the goals of the Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan and enable many of the awaited community benefits intended to be provided by the Belward Campus as part of the 2011 Campus plan approval.”