A French pharmaceutical research corporation that had been considering sites in New York and Boston to build its North American headquarters will soon break ground in an emerging mixed-use technology park in Newark adjacent to the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University-Newark. Biotrial S.A. recently purchased a 1.2-acre parcel of land in University Heights Science Park, where more than 90 incubator companies are located within the 351,000 square feet of office and research space that already has been developed. As Biotrial hopes to occupy the new building in early 2014, New York-based architecture firm Francis Cauffman has completed the master design plan for the facility and expects to commence its construction this spring. Jean-Marc Gandon, president and chief executive offer of Biotrial, said in a statement the company needed “proximity to superior research and medical facilities and to a major transportation center” to expand in the United States, and it “looked at many locations around the world before deciding that Newark and University Heights Science Park best meet the many key requirements and standards we have for conducting our research.” In October 2011, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority board approved a $689,850 Business Employment Incentive Program grant for Biotrial S.A. to bring 60 jobs to Newark, though the board noted the incentive could increase to $1.2 million over 10 years if the company picked a site in the city over New York and Massachusetts. EDA spokeswoman Rachel Hartman said the agency has not yet determined the exact award amount because it is awaiting confirmation on the site selection from Biotrial, and the company would then need to submit other conditions for the BEIP.
