Shriners Children’s broke ground on a $153 million pediatric research institute at Science Square in Atlanta, the organization announced November 5. The facility is expected to be occupied in June 2027.
That leaves roughly seven months from groundbreaking to occupancy for a project that includes lab space and a clinical GMP suite. Whoever owns this schedule is going to earn their coffee.
What’s Planned Inside:
A full biomechanics laboratory
Tissue engineering laboratories
Augmented reality development spaces
Cellular and molecular research facilities
A clinical GMP facility to move tissue engineering discoveries into products for clinical trials, such as skin grafts for burn care and engineered cartilage for cleft palate repair
The Mechanical Squeeze
The biomechanics labs, tissue engineering labs and GMP suite all require specialized mechanical, electrical, plumbing and controls work. On most lab projects, those trades set the critical path.
A calendar this tight puts a premium on ordering air handling equipment, controls and lab casework early.
Lab Coats on Order
Shriners also opened recruitment for its first scientists, and application review is expected to begin at the end of November. The phased plan starts with 50 investigators and builds toward 470 employees over five years.
The Georgia Tech Connection
The project grew out of a collaboration with the Georgia Tech Pediatric Innovation Network that began in 2019. That partnership has produced more than 25 joint research projects, including robotic exoskeletons for children with cerebral palsy.
Georgia Tech said Shriners would be its largest tenant at Science Square, according to WABE.
Still Under Wraps
The release doesn’t identify the architect, general contractor, square footage or street address. That leaves two things to watch: who’s designing and building it, and whether June 2027 holds.
