University of Maryland and Wexford Celebrate Opening of 4MLK

The University of Maryland, Baltimore opened a 250,000-sf innovation center in January of 2024 to drive biomedical advances and accelerate the discovery of new health solutions. Developed and operated by Wexford Science + Technology, 4MLK serves as the gateway to the UM BioPark and will offer leasable space for life science and technology companies. The eight-story facility addresses a crucial need in the Baltimore real estate market for leading-edge lab space and will serve as an engine for regional economic growth through academic and industry partnerships. The anchor tenant is the University of Maryland’s Edward & Jennifer St. John Center for Translational Engineering and Medicine, a collaboration between the School of Medicine and the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Creating unique opportunities for experiential learning, this interdisciplinary nexus aims to bridge the gap between R&D and the clinical application of technologies. 

Designed by ZGF Architects, 4MLK provides 160,000 sf of Class A wet-lab-capable space available to commercial partners for build-out, as well as customizable space for dry lab or office usage. With 35,000-sf floor plates and a slab-to-slab height of 13’6”, the structure exceeds ASHRAE 90.1-2010 by 20 percent. The project houses Wexford’s headquarters, as well as Connect Labs Baltimore, a 35,000-sf startup incubator and scale-in-place lab for entrepreneurs and growing companies. Current tenants include Irazú Oncology, the Emerging Technology Center Baltimore, and EPOCH Epigenetics. Featuring a 16,000-sf civic lounge and assembly space, the facility integrates sophisticated conference venues for tenants of the building and the greater BioPark ecosystem. An outdoor public plaza with an activated streetscape fosters informal interaction and community engagement.

Whiting-Turner began construction in October of 2022 on the sustainable development, which is targeting LEED Gold certification. Engineering partners included Bowman Consulting, Hope Furrer Associates, and STV, with The Commercial Group as interior contractor and Mahan Rykiel Associates as urban designer.

Supported by $81.5 million in financing arranged by Ventas, 4MLK is the third multitenant lab and office building developed by Wexford on the 14-acre BioPark campus. The center represents the successful completion of the first stage of a two-phase project; the second phase will add an additional 250,000-sf lab and office facility. Located in the third largest biopharma cluster in the United States, this visionary hub is emblematic of the state’s thriving life science sector and the BioPark’s two-decade legacy as the cornerstone of Baltimore’s biomedical industry.