State health lab design plans unveiled

Updated at 11:21 a.m. on Oct. 20

DESIGN DETAILS for the new state health lab planned for former I-195 land were unveiled Wednesday before the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission. /RENDERING COURTESY OF ANCORA L&G

PROVIDENCE – Developers behind the new state health lab offered a glimpse of what the project will look like at the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission meeting Wednesday.

The $165 million project by Ancora L&G calls for an eight-story, 212,000-square-foot building at the corner of Richmond and Clifford Streets in Providence. As proposed, the R.I. Department of Health will anchor the building, using the first, second and third floors of its new building to replace its aging Orms Street lab space.

But a state health lab is far from the only feature for the terracotta building planned for the edge of the Jewelry District. In fact, 91,462 square feet would be open for other commercial laboratory tenants, including Brown University, which has already agreed to lease 20,000 square feet. Preliminary design plans also call for a 1,400 square-foot cafe in the first-floor lobby, a small amount of on-site parking, a covered bicycle storage area and potentially, outdoor seating. There are also designated truck loading zones and delivery drop-off spots, plus a penthouse storage area for mechanical equipment, according to design plans.

“As much as we can put science on display here, we’d like to do so,” said John MacCallum, a senior project designer with building architect HOK.

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The state chose Ancora L&G, a partnership between UK-based financial services group Legal & General Capital and North Carolina developer Ancora, from the eight companies that responded to its solicitation. But the developers must still win approval from the I-195 Redevelopment Commission.

Initial comments shared by the commission’s architectural consultant, Utile Inc., and its Design Review Panel, called for some changes prior to a formal concept plan approval. Among the requested revisions were changes to the parking and loading area to improve traffic flow for vehicles and pedestrians. The design team also suggested establishing separate lobby entrances for RIDOH versus the other commercial lab users. The 12 requested waivers, which would grant exceptions to rules governing the frontage, curb cuts and building shape – among others – is more than other projects in the former Interstate 195 land, according to the submitted design memo.

“While we recognize the unique design challenges of a large, floorplate lab building, we nonetheless recommend that the development team prioritize only those waivers that are essential for feasibility and provide for robust justifications for the waivers that are necessary,” Tim Love, principal for Utile, wrote in the memo.

Nonetheless, Love called the project a “very good design solution” that “completes the block” in comments Wednesday.

Representatives from the four surrounding neighborhood associations largely concurred with Love’s analysis in their own comments to the commission. 

Dr. Richard Huard, who works at the current state health lab, shared less-positive feedback. Huard likened the dusty, red color to a “raw hamburger patty,” calling the overall appearance “hideous.”

Commission members did not vote on the design plan Wednesday, with plans to review the concept plan in further detail at its next meeting before making a decision.

Funding for the $82 million state health lab portion of the project comes from a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant.

Developers aim to begin construction in March, with a February 2025 completion date as mandated by the federal grant, according to Peter Calkins, vice president of development with Ancora.

(SUBS third paragraph to clarify square footage available for other commercial tenants.)

Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Lavin@PBN.com.

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