Major lease expansion at the Harvard Enterprise Research Campus in Allston, Massachusetts, seen as another small sign of recovery in life science sector Genentech, a San Francisco-based biotechnology company and member of the Roche Group that produces medicines to treat life-threatening medical conditions, has agreed to triple the amount of space it will occupy at the Harvard Enterprise Research Campus in Boston’s Allston neighborhood. The biopharma firm expanded from the initial 30,000 square feet it leased in March to 100,000 square feet for a planned innovation center that will serve as a research hub for Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolism (CVRM) discovery, as well as AI and data science initiatives. Genentech expects to commence a phased move-in starting in mid-2026.
Breakthrough Properties, a joint venture of Tishman Speyer and Bellco Capital, is developing the new life science facility at One Milestone St. Breakthrough did not identify the firm in a statement announcing the expansion. A Genentech spokesperson confirmed it was the Roche affiliate. The two-building life sciences complex includes a 265,000-square-foot east wing and a 245,000-square-foot west wing with interconnected facilities in late-stage construction. The building’s other confirmed tenant is StudioLabs, a subsidiary of Breakthrough Properties that offers pre-built, turnkey life science space with short-term leases and on-site concierge service. “(Roche Genentech’s) expanded commitment reflects our shared belief in the ERC’s potential to advance science and discovery in Boston,” said Tishman Speyer CEO Rob Speyer in a statement. “The mission of One Milestone is to deliver a world-leading environment for innovators and a destination for dynamic partnerships between academia and industry,” added Breakthrough Properties CEO Dan Belldegrun. “The forthcoming Innovation Center is an ideal anchor for One Milestone and a powerful representation of that very mission.” The One Milestone project represents part of Tishman Speyer’s 900,000-square-foot initial phase at the Enterprise Research Campus. Additional planned components include a 343-unit apartment building and a 246-room boutique hotel expected to open next winter. Harvard University selected Tishman Speyer as the developer for the project in 2019. Tishman Speyer and Breakthrough, along with the Harvard Allston Land Co., commenced construction on the first phase of the ERC in 2023. The complex was designed by architects Henning Larsen and Studio Gang. A small sign of recovery in the life science sector Life science demand drove much of the office leasing activity in Boston in the post-pandemic years, but that demand has since fallen off, shifting in favor of traditional office users. However, leasing activity across Boston’s office sector rebounded to a three-year high at the end of 2025 and increased 20% year-over-year, according to CoStar’s latest office market report. The Genentech expansion serves as the latest small sign of recovery in the life sciences market. Notable life science deals last year included Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ renewal in the Seaport for 1.1 million square feet, and Biogen signing a full building lease for its new global headquarters in Cambridge for 585,000 square feet. Also in Cambridge, GSK signed a full-building lease for 220,000 square feet. To kick off 2026, TransMedics Group signed a new lease for its new global headquarters for 498,000 square feet in Somerville’s Assembly Row with plans to occupy in early 2028. Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche acquired Genentech in 2009. Earlier this month, the company also announced plans to expand its initial investment in a new manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina, its first on the East Coast. Genentech said its increased investment in the manufacturing facility, to approximately $2 billion, will support additional production capacity. Set to be operational by 2029, the company plans to use the new facility to produce treatments for metabolic conditions, such as obesity, leveraging advanced biomanufacturing, automation, and digital tools.
