News – current information
Norwegian medical technology company Lifecare signs lease agreement for LAB 1
The ink has dried: by signing up as the first tenant at the new biotechnology and life sciences hub, Norwegian medical device company Lifecare is setting a historic milestone in the development of this new science and business park in the state capital of Rhineland–Palatinate. Innovationspark Mainz GmbH & Co. KG (a joint venture of J. Molitor Immobilien GmbH, G.L. Kayser Immobilien GmbH and IGM Immobilien Gesellschaft Mainz mbh) welcomed Lifecare’s senior executives, who had travelled from Norway to sign the contract at the future scene of the action: on the building site for the first laboratory and office building, LAB 1. LAB 1 is being built at the entrance to Mainz, in the immediate vicinity of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and Mainz University of Applied Sciences. Lifecare will lease around 1,000 square metres on the ground floor of the building. The Bergen-based company specialises in implantable microsensors using nanotechnology – e.g. for measuring blood sugar. Lifecare plans to move into the ground floor of LAB 1 in summer 2025, meaning that a third of the space in the first building, LAB 1, has already been reserved. Representatives of Lifecare at the press event: Joacim Holter, CEO of Lifecare AS Professor Andreas Pfützner, CSO of Lifecare AS Asle Wingsternes, Head of Communications & Public Affairs at Lifecare AS Representatives of Innovationspark Mainz GmbH & Co. KG at the press event: Tina Badrot and F. Albrecht Graf von Pfeil, both Managing Directors of J. Molitor Immobilien GmbH Edmund Schmitz, Managing Director of G.L. Kayser Immobilien GmbH Uwe Borgmann, Managing Director of IGM Immobilien Gesellschaft Mainz mbh
Kisselberg Innovation Park: Handover of keys for the new health department building
A large key made of pretzel dough symbolises an important milestone for the Kisselberg Innovation Park at the entrance to Mainz: Molitor Managing Directors Tina Badrot, F. Albrecht Graf von Pfeil and Christian Schupp, along with Ralf Sadowski and Franz von Ditfurth from project partner Mainzer Aufbaugesellschaft mbH, handed over the key for the new health department building to District Administrator Dorothea Schäfer. ‘This brings us close to the end of a long journey,’ explains Schäfer. She reminds us of the story: before the district was able to buy the building in the immediate vicinity of the Europeakreisel roundabout at the end of last year, several years had been spent searching for a new property. ‘That’s all behind us now. The team at the public health department can now enjoy state-of-the-art offices, consulting rooms and laboratories.’ This is a view echoed by the councillor responsible for the health department, Erwin Malkmus: ‘The new building fully meets the requirements of a modern healthcare service, which we offer both for the Mainz–Bingen district and for the city of Mainz.’ District councillor Steffen Wolf, responsible for building management, added: ‘This means that we now have a state-of-the-art workplace that is ideally equipped in terms of ambient conditions.’ Molitor Managing Director Tina Badrot underlined the importance of the new health department building for the further development of the site: ‘The public health department is paving the way for the new life science location at the entrance to Mainz. Just a pedestrian bridge away, Molitor is working with partners to develop Mainz Innovation Park with laboratory and office buildings. We would like to thank the district and our partner Mainzer Aufbaugesellschaft for their quick, targeted and professional cooperation at the new health department.’ The fixtures and fittings are already in place, with the district’s IT department currently still busy with the cabling. More than 100 employees from Langgasse in Mainz and Kreuzhof in Nieder-Olm are scheduled to move to the new site after Easter, which will take a few days. The Kisselberg location, which boasts outstanding transport connections by both bus and tram, as well as by motorway and Saarstrasse, will then go into operation. There are also 40 parking spaces available.
New German headquarters of Novo Nordisk celebrates topping-out ceremony at Kisselberg Innovation Park
And we were there. Our Managing Director Tina Badrot was one of the speakers and explained the various sustainability aspects of the building. These were then presented in an exhibition, both visually and to the touch: SmartTOM energy monitoring, electric vehicle facilities, photovoltaics and green roofs with rainwater harvesting, concrete core activation, cold district heating, wood fibre insulation and a scale replica of the timber bridge, which will be one of the many highlights of this property. Daniel Duch from Holzbau Ammann, part of our group of companies, is not only building the high-quality timber structure, but also held the address today! From summer 2023, the modern working environments will offer some 250 employees space for cross-functional exchange, inspiration and creative ideas. After 65 years, the Danish pharmaceutical company is moving from Lerchenberg to this up-and-coming biotechnology and life sciences hub, making it one of the pioneers in the further development of the location at the entrance to Mainz.
Mainz Innovation Park: medical technology company Lifecare becomes the first tenant
The first tenant for LAB 1, the first building at Mainz Innovation Park, can now be revealed: the Norwegian medical device company Lifecare AS, headquartered in Bergen, has signed an LOI (letter of intent) in respect of some 1,000 square metres of laboratory and office space. In doing so, the company is sending a strong signal for the new development project at the entrance to Mainz. Lifecare specialises in implantable microsensors using nanotechnology, e.g. for measuring blood sugar. Lifecare plans to move into the ground floor of LAB 1 as early as the end of 2024, meaning that a third of the space at Mainz Innovation Park has already been reserved. Construction poised to begin, with plans for an additional laboratory and office building Construction work will get under way this year! ‘We are on the home stretch with the planning application and will submit it at the end of September,’ emphasise F. Albrecht Graf von Pfeil, Managing Director of J. Molitor Immobilien, Edmund Schmitz, Managing Director of G.L. Kayser and Uwe Borgmann, Managing Director of IGM. ‘Depending on the weather, the construction site access road could be available by the end of 2022 so that we can get started on the plots.’ For the investors, who are also in discussions with other companies and research institutes considering a lease, one thing is certain: in order to take advantage of the momentum for Mainz, interested companies must now also be provided with specific offers, with clear timelines, as quickly as possible. LAB 1, which boasts a total area of around 3,000 square meters, is just the first step. Molitor, G.L. Kayser and IGM are already working on detailed plans for another office and laboratory building at Mainz Innovation park, with planning permission also set to be submitted this year Sustainable building technology We attach particular importance to the topic of sustainability, as is reflected in the building concept for LAB 1: energy will be supplied in an environmentally friendly manner by means of geothermal power and low-temperature radiant heating with passive cooling, thereby exceeding statutory energy efficiency requirements. Photovoltaic modules on the building are used for further regenerative building services. In addition, the site will feature a modular solar carport, whose self-generated electricity can be used both to charge electric vehicles and to supply the building with power. To improve the microclimate, the roof areas of LAB 1 will be greened as extensively as possible. A resource-saving rainwater harvesting system on the roof will help to relieve pressure on the drainage systems and contribute to the passive cooling of the building.
