T
he University of California, Berkeley is moving forward with its Innovation Zone complex, a two-building project that will span 320,000 square feet. The North Building, located at the corner of University and Oxford Streets, will be seven stories tall and house research and entrepreneurial activity in genomics, materials science, and life sciences. It will also feature wet labs, incubator facilities, and flexible scale-up space for faculty and researchers.
The project's scope and design are set to be voted on by the UC Regents' Finance and Capital Strategies Committee, with construction potentially starting in the second quarter of next year if approved. The University has secured an unknown donor to cover the building's design, development, and construction costs.
When completed, the Innovation Zone complex will complement the school's existing Bakar BioEnginuity Hub and incubator, Bakar Labs, which have helped launch 38 Bay Area life sciences startups since opening in 2021. The two-building project is expected to be finished by 2026.
