CBRE Tapped to Lease Howard U. Research Center

National Research Center for Health Disparities rendering. Image courtesy of CBRE

CBRE has been selected as the exclusive leasing partner for Howard University’s National Research Center for Health Disparities (NRCHD). Situated in Washington, D.C., the first phase of the mission-driven project is set to include 179,000 square feet of laboratory and office space upon its completion.

Phase I of the project was granted zoning approval in March of this year. In 2021, Capstone Development and Quadrangle Development Corp. were chosen as the center’s private development team. The project’s anticipated construction start is expected this year.

Located at the soon-to-be northwest corner of Georgia Avenue and Bryant Street NW, the NRCHD is next to the University’s main Washington, D.C. campus. It is in proximity to the U Street Metro Station and Union Station. The Reagan National Airport is located 15 minutes from the site, and the Dulles International Airport is 40 minutes away.

Situated in the Shaw/U Street Corridor, the NRCHD will provide tenants easy access to dining, retail and entertainment options within walking distance. Nearby hospitals include the Howard University Hospital, Children’s National Hospital, MedStar Washington Hospital Center and the George Washington University Hospital. Trinity College, Catholic University and George Washington University are higher education institutions in close proximity.

The NRCHD is designed to house tenants including pharmaceutical companies, incubators, biotechnology companies, non-profits and policymakers aligned with its vision. Future phases of the project are slated to expand the development by an additional 160,000 square feet.

CBRE’s Mid-Atlantic Life Sciences team is led by Executive Vice Presidents Tommy Cleaver and Frank Graybeal, and Senior Vice Presidents Kevin Reap and Dan Grimes.

According to CBRE research, the Washington D.C. area has the lowest vacancy rate for life science and research and development space in the nation. While the life science industry is thriving, office vacancy rates are nevertheless rising. In April, the area posted a 15.2 percent vacancy rate.

Mission first

The NRCHD is part of Howard University’s continued investment in hospital, health science and STEM center developments. The university’s projected investment toward its mission of life science projects in the Washington, D.C., area exceed $1.5 billion.

As part of his personal mission, Howard University President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick is overseeing the development. Diagnosed with sickle cell anemia in his childhood, the university president and cancer surgeon expects the new center to address health disparities and create solutions for chronic illnesses that primarily affect marginalized communities.

Advisory council members Reed Tuckson, chief medical officer for UnitedHealth, Francis Collins, former director of NIH, Richard Besser, CEO of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Kevin Lofton, Gilead Board Member, are overseeing the vision of the NRCHD.