AURORA | The days of bioscience startups outgrowing their home at the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority are likely over.

The FRA on Wednesday unveiled the new wing at their headquarters, a state-of-the-art addition that dramatically expanded the building at 12635 E. Montview Boulevard by about 50 percent. Steve VanNurdern, the FRA’s executive director, the new space is already about 80 percent full.

John Price, president and CEO of Greffex Inc., shows off his company’s new wing Wednesday evening, Aug. 22 at the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority. The FRA on Wednesday unveiled the new wing at their headquarters, a state of the art addition that dramatically expanded the building at 12635 E. Montview Boulevard by about 50 percent. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Dr. Victor Spitzer (right) shows off Touch of Life Technologies’ new office space Wednesday evening, Aug. 22 at the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority. The FRA unveiled the new wing at their headquarters, a state of the art addition that dramatically expanded the building at 12635 E. Montview Boulevard by about 50 percent. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Construction wrapped on the new 37,000-square-foot addition to the BioScience Park Center last month.

The FRA’s grand opening was scheduled for July 25, but they pushed it back to Aug. 22 because of the Aurora theater shootings. The first new tenant, Greffex Inc., moved into its new space this month. Next month, the other three new tenants — Mitomics, Touch of Life Technologies and LightLabs — are scheduled to move in.

The new wing will add about 40,000 square feet to the 60,000-square-foot home to the FRA and hub of the burgeoning Life Science District. The project is an important step for the district, officials say, because it will provide space for more advanced companies that are ready to take the next step beyond the facilities the building currently offers.

The FRA’s “incubator” program helps biotech startups get their companies off the ground without having to worry about office space, office equipment and labs. All of that is available on site. But before the expansion, the headquarters didn’t have room for companies to grow beyond the incubator phase.

“The Bioscience Park Center is designed to foster a collaborative environment—by having established companies in close proximity to incubator startups—further promoting an essential atmosphere that makes the Fitzsimons Life Science District an important hub in the overall growth of Colorado’s bioscience industry,” VanNurden said.

The $8-million project started late last year. Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan, who also sits on the FRA’s board of directors, said at Wednesday’s grand opening that while 90,000 square feet of space may not sound like a lot to some, in the bioscience industry, it’s substantial. Very few other cities have that much space dedicated to bioscience, he said.