Following an additional lease signed with Drexel University, 360,000 square feet remains available at 3201 Cuthbert Street. The available space represents approximately 69 percent of the building. The 520,000-square-foot development is the largest life sciences building in Philadelphia. Core and shell construction was completed this month. The project was developed by Gattuso Development Partners with… Read more »
Posts Tagged: University City
Drexel Doubles Space at Life Sciences Building
Drexel University has agreed to more than double its lease at a new life sciences building on campus. The lease at 3201 Cuthbert Street was restructured to total 151,000 square feet. The previous lease encompassed 60,000 square feet. The expanded lease will span four floors of the building. The space is planned to house all… Read more »
Philadelphia’s Life Sciences Sector Expands Amid Market Challenges
Even with nearly one million square feet of newly developed lab space currently unoccupied in and around University City, John Grady views the vacancy as evidence of the region’s significant growth in the life sciences sector. Grady, Senior Vice President at Wexford Science & Technology, has recently been named chair of the University City District… Read more »
Spark Layoffs May Ripple Through University City Real Estate
Spark Therapeutics’ decision to lay off 337 employees—nearly half its workforce—could inject thousands of square feet of lab space into an already saturated University City market. One prominent landlord is even marketing lab space to office tenants due to the oversupply. The layoffs span Spark’s locations at the Cira Centre (2929 Arch St.), the Bulletin… Read more »
Parker Allocates $67M for University City Forensics Lab
Mayor Cherelle Parker announced that the city’s new forensics lab will be housed at University Place 3.0, a largely vacant life sciences building since its completion in mid-2023. Parker allocated $67 million for the lab over five years (FY 2026–2030) as part of her $6.7 billion budget proposal, which requires City Council approval. The city’s… Read more »
Wexford Invests $29M in University City Life Sciences Renovation
Facing 80,000 square feet of vacant space at 3711 Market St., Wexford Science & Technology is committing $28.5 million to renovate the University City property and strengthen its position in Philadelphia’s life sciences sector. Renovations on the 16-year-old, 10-story, 150,000-square-foot building are set to begin in early 2025 and finish by year-end. With occupancy currently… Read more »
City Nears Deal for Police Forensics Lab in University City
The City of Philadelphia is negotiating to establish the police department’s new forensics lab at University Place 3.0, sources say. The eight-story, 250,000-square-foot life sciences building at 4101 Market St., completed in mid-2023, has remained mostly vacant. Currently, Fulton Bank operates a branch on the ground floor, and a Southern seafood fusion restaurant is planned…. Read more »
Spark Therapeutics Begins Work on Innovation Center in University City
Spark Therapeutics officially broke ground Tuesday on its $575 million Gene Therapy Innovation Center in University City — a project that will double the company’s physical footprint in Philadelphia. The more than 500,000-square-foot, six-story building at 30th and Chestnut streets on Drexel University’s campus is being designed to serve as the global gene therapy manufacturing… Read more »
University City is Running Out of Life Sciences Real Estate
The life sciences industry is growing rapidly in Greater Philadelphia, and projects like Schuylkill Yards, developments like One uCity Square, hubs like the University City Science Center and companies like Spark Therapeutics have helped put University City at the center of the accompanying development boom. University City neighbors Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania are also… Read more »
SmartLabs expands to Philadelphia with 117,000-SF lease in University City
SmartLabs, an operator of life sciences labs, vivarium and manufacturing spaces, has leased two floors totaling 117,000 square feet at a proposed new building in University City. Philadelphia will serve as the third city SmartLabs will have a presence, underscoring the strength of the city’s burgeoning life sciences scene. SmartLabs maintains a presence in Boston… Read more »


