Veterinary Medicine R&D Building

Zoetis, formerly Pfizer Global Animal Health, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development (VMRD) conducts research and administration from several global locations and is the world’s largest producer of medicine and vaccinations for pets and livestock. A significant portion of these operations are located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Adequate excess capacity existed within Building 300 to consolidate all VMRD functions into a single facility in downtown Kalamazoo.

The Austin Company provided lab planning, design and engineering, and construction management services for the renovation of six floors of the Building 300 Research and Development Facility. The Austin Company designed and built the original 700,000 SF facility in 1992.

Zoetis’ goal was to consolidate VMRD functions from multiple global sites and better utilize existing capacity. Building 300 housed laboratories and vivarium fit for chemistry and toxicology studies. However, this arrangement was neither conducive to use for expanded biology studies, nor would it be able to handle the required increased administration and support functions.

The Austin Company’s project team provided solutions to ready the building for the new and expanded uses and various laboratory requirements, including BSL2-LS and BSL3 suites. Austin’s project team worked with individual departments and user groups to design safe and efficient lab spaces, based on specialized instruments and complex technical requirements.

The renovation consisted of varying levels of work and was organized by floor and quadrant. Some areas of the building required minor renovations, while others required complete demolition and new construction. All work was staged and coordinated to minimize impact on ongoing building operations.