University unveils design and plans for new BioForge center

Pitt unveiled the design and architectural plans for BioForge, a new biomanufacturing center in the Hazelwood neighborhood. 

The building is set to be 185,000 square feet, with two stories and a penthouse, as well as bike parking. The facility will be used jointly by Pitt and the University’s partner in the project, ElevateBio, which is a company that researches cell and gene therapies. 

The project was originally proposed in November 2021 and supported by a $100 million grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation in order to “leverage the cutting-edge biomedical research conducted at Pitt and the world-class clinical care offered at UPMC.” It is a biomanufacturing facility focusing on producing cell and gene therapies for previously untreatable diseases.

According to Gina Bleck, the University’s vice chancellor for planning, design and construction, the architectural design for the building is specifically designed to work for the goals of the programs located within it. 

“The architecture of the new BioForge facility in the Hazelwood Green development strives to physically manifest the exciting, regionally transformative program it contains — biomanufacturing of cell and gene therapies,” Bleck said. “The exterior invites visual access to the science, and the entry element acts as a welcoming lantern to guide pedestrians into the building, a new icon for Pitt and the Pittsburgh region.” 

In addition to the BioForge center, the University is also opening a Community Engagement Center in Hazelwood. Currently, there are two Centers operating, in the Hill District and Homewood, and they serve as “welcoming spaces to foster collaboration and provide housing services, programs and staff dedicated to that neighborhood.” 

The University plans to begin construction preparations in late fall 2023, with building foundations following in the first half of 2024, steel construction during the latter half of 2024 and exterior completion by the middle of 2025.