On the scene: Nokia Bell Labs’ HELIX groundbreaking

State and local officials, stakeholders and others gathered under shining late-summer skies in New Brunswick to celebrate the latest HELIX groundbreaking.

The Sept. 4 ceremony for H-2 at the Health & Life Science Exchange offered a front-row seat to the work underway – literally – and what will come when the project reaches completion, expected in 2027.

At 10 stories and approximately 370,000 square feet, H-2 will serve as the new headquarters for Nokia Bell Labs. The move from Murray Hill continues a tradition of innovation in New Jersey as the company celebrates 100 years in business.

The new, purpose-built R&D space is set to include chemistry and biology labs, data centers, 3D printing, machine shops, office and conference spaces, and more; along with a dramatic lobby and coffee shop.

Beyond delivering remarks, New Brunswick Development Corp. President Chris Paladino served as emcee for the event, also welcoming to the podium:

Gov. Phil Murphy
Nishant Batra, chief strategy and technology officer, Nokia
Steve Pozycki, CEO, SJP Properties
Jim Cahill, mayor, City of New Brunswick
Tim Sullivan, CEO, New Jersey Economic Development Authority
Ronald Rios, director, Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners
Theirry Klein, president, Bell Labs Solutions Research, Nokia
Peter Vetter, president of Bell Labs Core Research, Nokia
“The pace of activity of the HELIX is impressive,” the DEVCO leader said at the outset. “H-1 is nearing completion. Piles are being driven and foundations laid from H-2 … and, expect shortly, an invitation to the groundbreaking of H-3 early next year right on this site.”

Big picture

While H-1 will house the New Jersey Innovation Hub, Rutgers Translational Research, the Rutgers School of Medicine as well as plug-and-play lab space, plans for H-3 include office space, Rutgers School of Engineering’s WINLAB, prebuilt wet and dry lab space, purpose built housing for 98 Rutgers School of Medicine students, along with 265 market rate and affordable residential units.

“This certainly is a very tangible example,” said Murphy, when asked if this was what he had in mind in terms of building the state’s innovation economy. “I’m a big believer in you play the hand you’ve been dealt – and New Jersey is dealt innovation economy, incredible talent, location second-to-none. Play the damn hand. And this would be, I’m not sure I had this literally in mind. But this is a great example of just owning the innovation economy.”

“This is going to be the quantum innings of Bell Labs. We’re going to re-revolutionize the world one more time.”
— Nishant Batra, chief strategy and technology officer, Nokia

“I see now the next stage, the next innings starting here,” Batra told reporters. “And I call this the ‘quantum innings.’ This is going to be the quantum innings of Bell Labs. We’re going to re-revolutionize the world one more time.”

Altogether, HELIX will occupy 4 acres with 1.5 million square feet of space in downtown New Brunswick.