PIDC, Philadelphia’s public-private economic development corporation, has announced plans for its new Lower Schuylkill Biotech Campus and issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for a development partner. The urban campus will be a world-class location for modern cell and gene therapy bioproduction. Positioned on 40 acres of land (across two 20-acre sites) within the Lower Schuylkill Innovation District, a master-planned district anchored by the existing Pennovation Works campus, the project will offer up to one million square feet of manufacturing space and create a pivotal life science center in the heart of Greater Philadelphia. The RFQ process, which launched in June, continues through September 23.

“At PIDC, we are thrilled to be offering this incredible opportunity for critical biomanufacturing to allow the cures being discovered in Philadelphia to be developed and manufactured here in Philadelphia,” said Anne Bovaird Nevins, President of PIDC. “The Lower Schuylkill Biotech Campus is an opportunity to complement our ecosystem of discovery and bring life-changing therapies to market. This new campus will drive job creation and our continued growth as an elite U.S. bio city – bringing the promise and potential of life sciences to many.”

Among the location attributes PIDC is promoting to prospective partners are:

Location and Accessibility –The Lower Schuylkill Biotech Campus in Philadelphia will be strategically positioned in the heart of the U.S. eastern seaboard in a center of industry and academics. It will offer exceptional access to interstates and an international airport, connecting products to the world in minutes.

Access to Talent – The campus will be located in the country’s sixth most populous city, with a historical pharma base and robust Ph.D., biotechnician, and graduate talent pipelines, as well as numerous workplace development programs preparing for increased workforce demand.

Affordability – The location is affordable for recruits and companies when compared to other leading U.S. bioclusters.

Quality of Life – The Greater Philadelphia region is an artistic, cultural, educational, and culinary destination. The Lower Schuylkill Biotech Campus will provide riverfront recreation access with key city-led investments enhancing the area, including 10 acres of a new riverfront trail and a pedestrian bridge allowing foot and bike access to the Pennovation Campus and a connection to Center City. Road and transit improvements in neighboring Kingsessing’s Lindbergh Avenue Corridor are supporting future commerce.

The RFQ process is open to responses from developers and end-users capable of planning, delivering, and managing the campus. PIDC is seeking a developer committed to minority participation on the development team, and that presents concepts that meet PIDC’s intention to create both 21st-century manufacturing jobs and equitable inclusion strategies for the surrounding communities.

The Lower Schuylkill Biotech Campus will be located within view of University City – a place where the region’s top academic research institutions operate and many early-stage drug development firms are grown, PIDC said in its announcement. It is just upriver from the Philadelphia Navy Yard, home to leading companies, such as Wuxi AppTec, Adaptimmune Therapeutics, and Iovance Biotherapeutics. The two 20-acre sites surround Bartram’s Garden, the oldest surviving botanic garden in North America.

“Research and development emanating from Greater Philadelphia is resulting in exceptional growth as we work together to develop the critical infrastructure needed to support the discovery,” said Claire Marrazzo Greenwood, Executive Director and Senior Vice President of Economic Competitiveness for the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. “PIDC’s announcement of the Lower Schuylkill Biotech Campus is extremely exciting news for our region’s center for life sciences and our hub for cell and gene therapy, further positioning our region as a premier commercialization and manufacturing center.”

Colliers Life Sciences and Little Giant Creative are leading the marketing efforts for the process on behalf of PIDC. Companies interested in registering for the request for qualifications can visit www.lowerschuylkillbio.com.

PIDC’s mission is to spur investment, support business growth, and foster developments that create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, and drive growth to every corner of Philadelphia. Learn more at www.PIDCphila.com.