Developer plans six-story biotech building near Zymo

A California developer that provides lab space for life-sciences companies has filed preliminary plans for a six-story research building in South Lake Union on property surrounded by buildings now occupied by ZymoGenetics.

But a spokeswoman for ZymoGenetics' parent, Bristol-Myers Squibb, said the company has no connection to the 150,000-square-foot project proposed by Alexandria Real Estate Equities of Pasadena, Calif.

Alexandria's Tim McBride said he couldn't discuss prospective tenants. While the company is moving to obtain permits, he said it has no date in mind to start construction.

The project would be built at 1150 Eastlake Ave. E., below Interstate 5. Parking lots and a small, 60-year-old industrial building now occupy the steeply sloping site.

ZymoGenetics sold the property to Alexandria in 2008. The biotech leases space in buildings immediately to the north and south, as well as in the historic former Lake Union Steam Plant across Eastlake.

Alexandria is its landlord in two of those three buildings. The Pasadena firm owns more than 12 million square feet of life-sciences buildings around the country, according to regulatory filings. That includes 1.1 million square feet in 13 projects in Seattle.

South Lake Union is a growing biotech hub. In addition to ZymoGenetics, it is home to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, UW Medicine, Gilead Sciences, the Institute for Systems Biology and global health nonprofit PATH.

More space is in the pipeline. City planners last month approved a smaller Alexandria biotech building at 1165 Eastlake, across the street from 1150.

And another developer, Biomed Realty Trust, last fall proposed a seven-story lab/research building at Fairview Avenue North and Republican Street.

According to the application Alexandria has filed with the city for 1150 Eastlake, the company intends to ask the city council to vacate a short, dead-end street on the north side of the property and sell the developer the right-of-way so the building can be bigger.

If East Nelson Place is vacated, the project could grow to 180,000 square feet. In return, according to the application, Alexandria would develop a walkway up the hill with views of Lake Union that could connect with future parks under Interstate 5.

The city's advisory Queen Anne/Magnolia Design Review Board is scheduled to consider Alexandria's plans Feb. 16.

Eric Pryne: 206-464-2231 or epryne@seattletimes.com