Teaching lab, science gallery and artwork will serve as unique amenities for the neighborhood and provide a “community living room for life sciences”

SEATTLE – March 9, 2004 – As another sign of the South Lake Union neighborhood’s emergence as a thriving life sciences research center, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (SBRI) is moving next week into its new home, the SBRI Building, located at 307 Westlake.

Joint venture partners for the project—SBRI, Harbor Properties and Vulcan Inc.—today announced that construction is complete on the 112,000-square-foot, five-story, state-of-the-art research and office building. SBRI will occupy the top two floors of the building, totaling 56,000 square feet.

With 160 researchers and other employees, SBRI is the largest non-profit research institute in the U.S. that conducts research to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. These diseases kill 14 million people each year—the majority of worldwide deaths. SBRI plans to add at least 100 new employees, mostly researchers, over the next several years.

“This new building represents hope for the future because it provides the opportunity for us to double our research capabilities and to recruit more world-class scientists. This will allow us to accelerate our rate of discovery for new vaccines and treatments that will improve health globally,” said Ken Stuart, president of SBRI. “In addition, the opportunity to locate our new home in the heart of South Lake Union is a remarkable benefit to SBRI. More world-class researchers are moving to South Lake Union, resulting in tremendous opportunities for collaboration among scientists.”

Researchers from Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center are also moving into the building this month. Children’s is leasing more than 47,000 square feet on the second and third floors for a number of its research programs, including infectious diseases, immunology, rheumatology, hematology, oncology, nephrology and genetics. In addition, Rosetta Inpharmatics/Merck moved into a new 133,000-square-foot research facility in South Lake Union in February. UW Medicine will move into a 105,000-square-foot research facility in late 2004, adding to their current South Lake Union presence in the Rosen Building. The combined presence of these organizations, along with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and ZymoGenetics, creates an environment of intense biomedical research activity.

“We are proud to be part of a project that will have a positive impact on the community, and ultimately, global health,” said Ada M. Healey, vice president of real estate for Vulcan. “The opening of this building also illustrates the critical mass that is forming in South Lake Union to create a truly vibrant research environment.”

“This partnership has successfully created a project that truly benefits scientific research as well as the surrounding community,” said Denny Onslow, president of Harbor Properties. “Harbor is fortunate to not only contribute to this memorable project, but to also be part of the visionary team.”

BioQuest Science Gallery & Learning Lab Create “Community Living Room For Science”
A new science gallery for BioQuest, SBRI’s science education program for high school students, is located on the first floor of the building. Created as a “community living room for life sciences,” the gallery features artistic exhibits to educate visitors and the community at large about the importance of improving global health. The BioQuest science gallery, which will be open to the community, will serve as a window into the live-saving science SBRI conducts upstairs.

A new hands-on lab for BioQuest will also be located on the first floor of the building, adjacent to the science gallery. Last year, BioQuest served more than 500 students in the Northwest, and the new space will give SBRI the opportunity to double the number of students involved in the program. The BioQuest Learning Lab will be the largest teaching lab in the Puget Sound region and has the ability to accommodate a full class of up to 32 students. The lab will open later this year when fundraising is complete.

Both the BioQuest lab and gallery face Westlake Avenue, giving passersby the opportunity to observe science in motion.

Commissioned Artwork Highlights Scientific Work Underway in the Building
To recognize the groundbreaking research underway in the building, SBRI, Vulcan and Harbor commissioned well-known local artist Linda Beaumont to create several works of art in and around the building to enliven the streetscape and engage the surrounding community.

The premier piece, titled “Labyrinth,” is located on the streetscape in front of the building, creating a visual “canvas” that offers a hint of the research taking place inside. Two 9x7-foot, multi-layered, tempered-glass screens incorporate the four major colors that are derived directly from the genetic sequence of the Leishmania organism, which causes the disease leishmaniasis. Currently, 12 million people are affected by leishmaniasis, a skin disease transmitted by sandflies that can leave its victims severely scarred or cause death. The panels also combine DNA sequence and images of other disease causing organisms that SBRI studies.

“We hope this artwork will unite the vision of scientists, visitors and residents of South Lake Union now and for many years to come,” Stuart said.

In addition to BioQuest and commissioned artwork, the building features another amenity—a new café, which will be operated by the owner of Fremont’s Still Life Café. Called “Henry’s,” the café will open in May.

About Seattle Biomedical Research Institute
Seattle Biomedical Research Institute advances global health through key research discoveries. Founded in 1976, SBRI is the largest independent, non-profit research institute in the United States focused solely on the world’s most devastating diseases, including malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. The mission of SBRI’s 160 employees is to conduct targeted research leading to the prevention, diagnosis and cure of global infectious diseases, responsible for the deaths of 14 million people each year. SBRI’s discoveries have resulted in promising leads for vaccines and drug targets, as well as seminal contributions to scientific knowledge. For more information about SBRI, visit www.sbri.org.

About Harbor Properties
Harbor Properties is a full service real estate firm that owns, manages and develops a broad spectrum of real estate including office, retail, multifamily residential and resort properties. Harbor Properties was founded in 1972 by Stimson Bullitt, former Chairman of the Board, and is now under the direction of Denny Onslow, President. Harbor Resorts is a subsidiary of Harbor Properties that currently owns and operates Stevens Pass and Mission Ridge ski areas in Washington and Schweitzer Mountain near Sandpoint, Idaho. For more information about Harbor Properties, please visit www.harborproperties.com.

About Vulcan Inc.
Vulcan Inc. creates and advances a variety of world-class endeavors and high-impact initiatives that change and improve the way people live, learn, do business and experience the world. Founded in 1986 by investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen, and under the direction of president and CEO Jody Patton, Vulcan oversees various business and charitable projects including real estate holdings, investments in more than 50 companies, from Charter Communications, DreamWorks SKG and Digeo Broadband to Sporting News, the Seattle Seahawks NFL and Portland Trail Blazers NBA franchises, First & Goal Inc., Vulcan Productions, the Seattle Cinerama theatre, Experience Music Project and the six Paul G. Allen Foundations. For more information about Vulcan, please visit www.vulcan.com.

Contacts:
Ashley Hulsey or Lee Schoentrup
Seattle Biomedical Research Institute
206/284-8846 ext. 475 and 440

Michael Nank
Vulcan Inc.
206/342-2000

Megan Murphy
Harbor Properties
206/623-0916