The University at Albany's East Campus has developed a vacant facility as part of a public/private partnership program to bring together scholars and researchers in a way that will allow scientific discoveries to be rapidly transferred into practical applications. As part of this program, Albany Molecular Research occupied laboratory space in several East Campus buildings. AMR asked Hyman Hayes Associates to program and design a new $4.3-million, 21,300-sf chemistry development laboratory in this facility.

The project involved gutting and renovating a 10,400-sf vacant high-bay pilot plant, installing a second floor, and adding 3,000-sf in two additions. Design of the building provides two, 8-person 1,550-sf state-of-the-art chemistry labs per floor, with large shared staging/equipment rooms in between. Each lab has separate wash and equipment areas.

The rear addition houses the mechanical/electrical spaces and a neutralization pit. The side addition contains receiving, chemical, and solvent storage on the first floor and offices on the second. A new metal panel tower with accessible ramp and sloping metal roof was added to the building's front to provide a new entry.