Brown University Planning Major Expansion in Jewelry District

Brown University Planning Major Expansion in Jewelry District

Brown University announced Tuesday that has taken a first step toward realizing a "long-held vision" for a new integrated life sciences building in Providence’s Jewelry District neighborhood.

According to Brown, as envisioned, the facility would provide "state-of-the-art laboratory space for researchers in biology, medicine, brain science, bioengineering, public health and other disciplines to work together on pressing health-related issues."

A location in the Jewelry District would offer researchers the proximity to enable close collaboration with scientists and physicians at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School, the School of Public Health, the School of Engineering and the University’s affiliated hospital partners, says the University.

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Brown did not disclose the specific location in its announcement. 

"[A] specific location is not yet determined," Brown spokesperson Brian Clark told GoLocal. "At this early phase, we can only describe the general characteristics of what would make for an appropriate site -- Jewelry District location, for example, with proximity to other Brown and hospital research locations."

"The full programming phase that will be launched from here will assess factors ranging from space needs and site requirements to conceptual design and projected scale and scope, as well as estimated project costs and funding sources," he added. "As part of that process, we'll begin to consider site possibilities in depth."

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A vote by the Committee on Budget and Finance of the Corporation of Brown University, the University’s governing body, at its meeting in May authorized the selection process to identify an architect for a new building. 

Brown said the vote launches an extensive programming phase to assess factors ranging from space needs and site requirements to conceptual design and projected scale and scope, as well as estimated project costs and funding sources.

“By fostering interdisciplinary research in the biological and life sciences and biomedical engineering to address major societal burdens ranging from aging and associated diseases — cancer and brain disorders — to infectious diseases like malaria, Brown scientists, physicians and scholars are at the leading edge of work toward new discoveries and solutions that impact lives here in Rhode Island and across the globe,” said Brown President Christina H. Paxson. “Our goal is to advance that positive impact even further. As we begin planning for a major new facility in Providence that will enable integration across fields of expertise, we look forward to innovative life sciences breakthroughs for generations to come.”

With the approval to select an architect, Brown will engage in a years-long process toward planning, locating, designing and building the facility. Architect selection itself is expected to take three to six months. And while a target timeline for the full project would emerge during the overall planning process, the University estimates construction completion in the range of four to five years.