A groundbreaking ceremony took place Nov. 2 on the first of several new buildings planned to make up the 16-block Destination Medical Center (DMC) Discovery Square sub-district near the historic Mayo Clinic campus in Rochester, Minnesota.
Mortenson is the developer and builder for phase one in Discovery Square, a densely populated and highly connected urban life science hub that is part of the DMC—the largest public-private economic initiative in Minnesota’s history.
Designed by RSP Architects and HOK to support life science research and innovation, the four-story, 90,000-sq.-ft. building will help tenants accelerate the translation of promising health-related therapies and technologies to provide solutions that create better health outcomes for patients. The design creates a tenant-focused, amenity-rich environment. Flexible, open workspaces and central common spaces will enable tenants to adapt to the fast-changing life science industry.
Discovery Square will provide a bridge to the mission of the nearby Mayo Clinic, which, as the anchor tenant of this new building, will occupy 30,000 square feet across three floors when it opens in 2019.
“Inside and out, our design is guided by a vision for forward-thinking research to create an extension of Mayo Clinic’s collaborative culture and brand,” said Eli Hoisington, design principal in HOK’s St. Louis studio. “In addition to enhancing science-driven collaboration, the design creates a sustained sense of community by including public amenities and event space on the ground level. This building will be a catalyst for the new live-work-play district in Rochester.”
“The DNA of this building and Discovery Square is the innovation, collaboration and translation of science and discovery,” said Mortenson Chairman David Mortenson. “A complementary tenant mix will have the opportunity to work alongside the best and brightest in Rochester on real-world, life-changing solutions. It will enhance connectivity and enable high-level collaboration to share ideas and test and deliver new products. We are truly excited about the purpose of this facility, its programming and its role within the greater Destination Medical Center vision.”
“Discovery Square will be the place where Minnesota’s next generation of medical startups will want to be,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith, chair of the DMC Corporation board of directors. “It will create new opportunity for jobs, innovation and economic growth, and represents a major step toward fulfilling our mission of building America’s City for Health.”
Destination Medical Center (DMC) is the largest public-private economic initiative in Minnesota’s history. The 20-year plan to transform Rochester into a global destination for health and wellness will attract developers, investors, startups and entrepreneurs to live, work and play in America’s City for Health.