Gilead Lab Building Phase I & II

Phase I is a three-storey, 65,000 sq. ft. lab including laboratory and office space to house more than 80 scientists working on the development and manufacturing of investigational drugs for clinical research programs in the areas of Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS and oncology. The building is a concrete structure with one basement level, three floors above grade, and a mechanical penthouse. All concrete was self-performed by Graham.

Tower II is a four-storey, 45,000 square foot facility that includes process mechanical and electrical equipment, extensive process piping and electrical, and comprehensive instrumentation. Tower II provides Gilead additional manufacturing capability for investigational medicines used in clinical research programs and supplied across the globe.

The project required Graham to work around many challenges and key stakeholders, including a congested footprint located next to a utility right-of-way corridor directly on the property, a main CN Rail track, and the proximity to overhead power lines. To mitigate safety and schedule issues associated with the overhead powerlines, Graham coordinated EPCOR to temporarily bury the powerlines for the duration of construction and allow simplified site access, cane usage and equipment installation into the building. To overcome the project’s small footprint, Graham was able to utilize an off-site warehouse to alleviate on-site laydown and storage limitations.