The Oregon State University Board of Trustees Monday approved the purchase of a Corvallis building that will serve as an OSU hub for biological and chemical science research. The 103,000-square-foot building at 4575 Research Way, two miles southwest from the center of Oregon State’s campus, was formerly occupied by a tenant, Sarepta Therapeutics, which vacated the building last year. OSU will purchase the building for $19.8 million from its owner. The purchase will serve Oregon State’s need for a new STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) building that was identified in the university’s 10-year capital forecast. Its renovation will result in an approximate $70 million savings compared to OSU constructing a new building. “This is a unique opportunity to buy a building in Corvallis that is equipped for scientific research,” said Steve Clark, Oregon State’s vice president of university relations and marketing. “And it is much more cost-efficient compared to constructing a new building.” In the short-term, the building will provide temporary space for faculty and staff housed in Cordley Hall, a research building located on OSU’s Corvallis campus, which is scheduled for renovation. In the long-term, the building will be used as a research and innovation-focused bioscience hub that would integrate industry, academic research and start-ups.
