Hudson Research Center – c16 Biosciences

Working in collaboration with Perkins + Will architects, Talisen completed the build out of a cutting edge new life sciences laboratory and office space for c16 Biosciences. The project took place at The Hudson Research center, a building Talisen was familiar with from past life sciences buildouts such as Hibercell. The c16 space started out as a life sciences lab pre-build but quickly encountered new design changes and challenges once they signed on as a tenant.

To start, 619 West 54th Street was originally a film editing building, and spans over 300,000 square feet. Retrofitting complex laboratory and mechanical systems to a 90-year-old building is a formidable task compared to implementing these systems into a new build. The pre-construction process started with extensive surveys performed by Talisen’s team, which involved weeks of walk throughs and detailed notes with the steel vendor and key mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) trades  – a necessity in terms of building the project correctly considering the retrofit challenges.

3D scanning was employed to develop BIM modeling for the HVAC and Plumbing portions of the project. The elaborate survey process, complemented by the BIM models enabled collaboration across the design team when developing the drawings, and emphasized the need for continued and close coordination throughout the actual build process to ensure all building systems were placed appropriately and effectively throughout the building.

The value engineering process that these early collaboration exercises allowed supported the asset owner, Talisen, and the entirety of the design team to make informed decisions about the direction of the project before it was started. Streamlining the design and intent of the project up-front saved roughly $2 million in cost through preemptively addressing challenges with the mechanical and infrastructure trades.

The project featured completely overhauled MEPs and venting, with new roof deck and supports to integrate the necessary systems for a life sciences building. The c16 space included laboratories in addition to meeting areas and glass-fronted offices. New reception and finishes were added throughout to create a top-of-the-line experience for the researchers and employees utilizing the new space.

This was an incredible project for the Talisen team and one we were proud to collaborate on with our project partners.