Gaithersburg, MD – Scheer Partners, the leading provider of fully integrated commercial real estate services for the health science industry in the Washington and Baltimore metropolitan areas, announced today that Pasadena, Calif.-based Alexandria Real Estate Equities has hired the Rockville-based company to lease 47,000 square feet of laboratory, office and vivarium space at 9 W. Watkins Mill Road in Gaithersburg.
Special features in the facility include an entire floor of vivarium space and shared laboratory facilities with autoclave, glass wash, gas tank farms, and specialized freezer rooms.
This 92,000-square-foot property was originally constructed in 1999 by Genetic Therapy Inc. for its animal and research activities. At that time, Robert Scheer, the Founder and President of Scheer Partners, represented Genetic Therapy on this major milestone transaction. Genetic Therapy was subsequently acquired by Novartis, and, once Novartis relocated Genetic Therapy’s activities to the West Coast, the property was sold to Alexandria Real Estate Equities.
Scheer Partners Senior Vice President Matt Brady and Aaron Gambini are handling the marketing for 9 W. Watkins Mill Road. “This is a rare opportunity for a large life science company to secure a block of Class-A, fully built-out research space in a highly visible, prominent location,” says Brady.
Adds Gambini, “Given the planned expansion of West Watkins Mill Road to Route 355 and the planned Interstate 270 interchange in 2017, this location becomes even more accessible for administrative employees and researchers commuting south.”
This listing further cements the decades-long relationship between Scheer Partners and Alexandria Real Estate Equities. Scheer Partners already leases numerous properties within Alexandria Real Estate Equities’ Maryland life science portfolio.