PHILADELPHIA – March 29, 2023 – Ensemble/Mosaic, a joint venture between Ensemble Investments, LLC and Mosaic Development Partners, has announced the signing of its first tenant, bioMérieux, Inc., at 1201 Normandy Place, the newest life science facility at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia. The building is set to open in June 2023 and is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification.
bioMérieux has leased approximately 32,000 square feet of space, spanning most of the second floor of the 137,000 square foot building. The company is a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics. It provides diagnostic solutions (systems, reagents, software and services) that are used in detecting microorganisms in food and pharmaceutical products and diagnosing infectious diseases in order to determine the source of disease and contamination to improve patient health and ensure consumer safety.
The new location will house Invisible Sentinel, which was founded in Philadelphia in 2006 and acquired by bioMérieux in 2019. bioMérieux will utilize the newly leased space to leverage its R&D and operations capabilities to expand the Invisible Sentinel product line globally. Invisible Sentinel, which provides first-in-class DNA detection tools across a variety of industries to protect against impurities in food, beer, wine and medical cannabis production, will be more than doubling their footprint. The new space will afford them significant operational efficiencies and serves as a showcase for new and existing customers.
“Philadelphia has allowed us to grow and commercialize in a supportive hometown environment, and it has been our goal to stay here. We are thrilled that this move to the Navy Yard solidifies Philly as our home,” said Ben Pascal, Chief Business Officer, Invisible Sentinel Products at bioMérieux. “Being in a state-of-the-art building will help to streamline our manufacturing and R&D processes to better serve customers. Also, being situated within a campus environment, amongst our regional and global peers in innovation, will foster our company’s growth and culture for years to come.”
The Navy Yard, which serves the region as an innovation hub focused on research and development, commercialization and manufacturing, boasts a roster of regional and global companies currently occupying more than one million square feet of life sciences and advanced manufacturing space.
“bioMérieux is planting a flag in Pennsylvania, showing the rest of the world that we are open for business,” said Rick Siger, Acting Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development. “The choice to locate Invisible Sentinel at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia is an outstanding example of the impact we can have when we invest in economic development and foster innovation in our Commonwealth. The Shapiro Administration is ready to support that economic growth and ensure that Pennsylvania continues to be a leader in innovation and opportunity.”
1201 Normandy is being developed by Ensemble/Mosaic in partnership with Oxford Properties, which committed $3B to further develop the life science hub at the Navy Yard. The building is a multi-tenant lab building designed to attract and support life science companies in need of 5,000 to 100,000 square feet of space.
“bioMérieux is joining a roster of companies that have made significant investments in the Navy Yard,” said Mark Seltzer, Managing Director of Ensemble. “Ensemble/Mosaic’s ability to meet specific needs within an extremely well-located campus environment has positioned the Navy Yard as a regional asset that can provide companies with efficiencies across all aspects of their businesses.”
CBRE’s Life Sciences’ team brokered the transaction and move-in is anticipated in early 2024.
Kate McNamara, PIDC Senior Vice President at the Navy Yard added, “We are excited to welcome bioMérieux to the Navy Yard and our newest state-of-the-art facility. bioMérieux is joining a diverse business campus and is a great new addition to an already robust life sciences ecosystem.
The Most Sophisticated Lab Building in the Region
1201 Normandy Place is the first speculative multi-tenant R & D lab building at the Navy Yard. The building was designed in consultation with CRB, a leading lab designer, to be the most sophisticated building of its kind in the region. It is optimized for cell and gene therapy R & D companies yet maintains the flexibility to accommodate all life science users. The building will support tenants’ requirements ranging from 5,000-37,000 square feet per floor.
User-specific considerations include 15’-16’ floor-to-floor ceiling heights, predetermined GMP space, structural integrity that minimizes vibration, and two loading docks. The robust utility and safety features include a central plant HVAC system with water cooled chillers, customizable electrical output and layout as well as built-in emergency power. Occupants will have access to collaborative workspace, an outdoor balcony on each floor and a ground level cafe.
Navy Yard Philadelphia – Philadelphia’s Newest Waterfront Neighborhood
The Navy Yard is home to 150 companies of all sizes from start up to maturity, with 15,000 employees and more than 130,000 visitors annually. The campus boasts six miles of waterfront and 20 acres of greenspace, with free parking and a dedicated transit shuttle service. Existing amenities include a Courtyard by Marriott, several restaurants and the 5-acre Central Green park which features a walking track, TRX system, ping pong and bocce, with ample outdoor working spaces.
During the next 15 years, Ensemble/Mosaic, a joint venture of Ensemble Investments, LLC and Mosaic Development Partners plans to invest more than $4.8B to develop more than 40 buildings. This includes three million square feet of life science space in partnership with investor Oxford Properties Group, plus corporate space and nearly 4,000 residential units.
About Ensemble/Mosaic
Ensemble/Mosaic is a joint venture between Ensemble Investments, LLC and Mosaic Development Partners. The partnership is the exclusive developer of a 109-acre mixed-use development at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia, including office, life science, retail, hospitality and the first residential complex to be built in the community. Ensemble/Mosaic, in partnership with PIDC, directed the creation of the 2022 Navy Yard Comprehensive Plan. Deeply committed to Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), Ensemble/Mosaic has pledged $1B over the next 20 years to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring and initiatives.
About Ensemble Investments, LLC
Ensemble Investments, LLC (Ensemble) is a leader in commercial real estate investment, revolutionizing the art of comprehensive planning, development, ownership and management. Established in 1989, the company is headquartered in Long Beach, Ca. with offices in Phoenix and Philadelphia. Among its offerings, it develops, owns and operates life science, corporate office, hospitality, multifamily and retail assets that transform and inspire the communities they serve. For more, visit www.ensemble.net and follow on LinkedIn.
About Mosaic Development Partners
Mosaic Development Partners is a Philadelphia based, minority-certified commercial real estate development and project management company founded in 2008. Mosaic primarily focuses on ground up development and adaptive reuse of commercial properties in underserved urban communities. Since 2012, Mosaic and its partners have secured and invested more than $120 million in Philadelphia neighborhoods, resulting in hundreds of construction and full-time jobs, eliminating blight, and spurring additional investment in those communities. To learn more about Mosaic, visit www.mosaicdp.com.
About PIDC and the Philadelphia Navy Yard
PIDC is Philadelphia’s public-private economic development corporation. Since acquiring the 1,200-acre site from the federal government in 2000, PIDC has been the master developer and site operator of the Navy Yard. PIDC’s mission—to spur investment, support business growth, and facilitate developments that create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, and drive growth to every corner of Philadelphia—strongly informs its strategy for the Navy Yard, where the focus is on building a cohesive community that fosters employment, innovation, and production. PIDC manages all aspects of the property’s management and development, including master planning, leasing, property management, infrastructure development, utility operation, and structuring development transactions. www.PIDCphila.com | www.navyyard.org
General Contact: Mark Seltzer, 215-779-0101
Media Contact: Robbie Tarpley Raffish, 410-430-9705
