ST. LOUIS—Wexford Science & Technology LLC is working on a $73 million plan to redevelop the Heritage building here in the Central West End into a laboratory and research facility.
The 183,000 square foot building will be transformed to meet the needs of research, biotech, technology innovation and science-based tenants. Construction of this new facility, to be complete by late 2013 and renamed @4240, kicks off Phase II development in the CORTEX District. Washington University has signed on to be the anchor tenant, and will lease 69,000 sq. ft. of space for its Offices of Technology Management, Research Administration and faculty practice plan. Additional lab and office space are available for lease.
The St. Louis-headquartered design-construction team of HOK and Tarlton Corp. is replicating the original design of the more than 500 large, industrial windows and replacing the inefficient steel frames with aluminum and insulated glass. The main entrance of @4240 will be moved from Duncan Avenue to Boyle Avenue to face the new CORTEX Commons, a park-like open space that will serve as a hub for the entire CORTEX District.
Dan Cramer, executive vice president at Wexford, said the property will provide St. Louis with multi-tenant lab and research space that rivals any other center of research. “The property will have the capabilities and infrastructure to support a variety of types of research from small start-ups to established corporate users from around the country looking to relocate to or expand in St. Louis,” he said in a statement.