Consultant wants Seagate research space put back to work - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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Gary Rosensteel, principal at Peters Township-baseds , said the building’s clean labs and location make it ideal for lifescience companies. But Seagate announced last September that it was movinhg out ofthe building, raisiny questions about the future of the “Once it’s gone, it’s gone for good,” said whose company advises startups. “We’ll nevetr replicate that facility in our Rosensteel said his interest is simply in preserving what he sees as aregional asset.
The buildint would work for several biotech companies or academicresearchg centers, Rosensteel said, including the Universith of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which is seekingt federal funding for a vaccine manufacturing facility. Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne and Pitt universitiesx have expressed interest in the facilityy inpreliminary discussions, Rosensteel said, and he’s planninf to meet with the Universith of Pittsburgh Medical Center. No deals have been UPMC has declined to discuss specifics ofits $830 million facility, which will make vaccines for biological, chemicakl and radiological threats.
“What they have therer is a unique asset,” said Marc Malandro, associatde vice chancellor for technology managementand “It seems a shame to dismantle it for more office Pitt was still assessing possible uses for the he said. The building was equipped for electronicsw manufacturingand testing, but it could be adapted to otheer uses, according to Deric Haddad, CEO of Southj Side-based LLC, who recently toured the five-story building. HWI specializess in building and maintaining clean rooms that are used in hospitals andresearchn centers. (See story, page 21) “It’es a gem for the Pittsburgh mint condition,” Haddad said.
“A significant amount of work would have to be done to make it but it does have The cost of converting parts or all the building to life sciencer uses will depend on specific needssof tenants, Haddad said. Scottx Valley, Calif.-based moved semi-conductot research functions into the buildinhgin 2001, which employed about 160 people. Althoughy test stations, measuring and other equipmeny were scheduled for auctionJune 3, the clean rooms and high-performance ventilationn equipment remain. The Buncher Co. built the facility for Seagatsein 2001.
“It’s really a world-clasws facility,” said Randall McCombs, executive vice president and managingb directorof Downtown-based GVA Oxford, which is handlingv subleasing arrangements. Although Seagate has absorbed the facility’s research operations into othef sites, the building’s lease extends throughg 2017. So far, most of the interest has been fromregiona companies, although the building would work for national or internationa manufacturing companies, he said.
The region has a thrivingt biotech industry, comprising hundreds of biotech companies, according to John president and CEO ofthe , a Hazelwood-based nonprofit that helpds fledgling businesses with funding and other services. Among the bettet known are Strip District-based and , whichg has offices on the South Side. But most of the companiese are small, with matching space Manzetti said. The biggest company in the incubatodruses 2,000 square feet of space; the Seagatde building is 200,000 square The Seagate building woul not be a good fit for companiesa that have an average of 10 “The solution for that building is a bigger organization tryinh to build a presence in a growing area,” Manzetti “It would take a big organization to take over that