The New Brunswick Development Corporation began construction in early summer of 2023 on the first phase of the HELIX innovation district. Catalyzing regional synergies in medical research, education, and healthcare, the $750 million project will accommodate tenants including Rutgers University, RWJBarnabas Health, Hackensack Meridian Health, and Princeton University. The 12-story, 573,400-sf structure will strategically collocate three key elements. The Rutgers Translational Research Facility will offer biomedical labs and support spaces for 80 principal investigators and their teams, while the new home of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School will provide sophisticated environments for learning, training, and discovery. Lastly, the New Jersey Innovation Hub will drive economic growth and entrepreneurship with business incubation suites, offices, conference rooms, and a multipurpose auditorium.
Opening onto a 70,000-sf plaza, the building's ground floor will feature a 10,000-sf market hall and a 3,000-sf restaurant. Rutgers has committed approximately $567 million in funding for the facility, which is slated for occupancy in the fourth quarter of 2025. A second phase of construction will deliver 600,000 sf of build-to-suit lab and office space, while the third and final phase will create a mixed-use tower with leasable offices and 220 housing units.
