Swiss-based company was impressed with the area's redevelopment plans that include a live, work and play environment.
BRIDGEWATER -- The Somerset County Board of Freeholders have embraced the idea of Nestle Health Science moving into the former Sanofi U.S. corporate campus in Bridgewater and believes it'll heighten central New Jersey's profile in the bio-science industry.
In another 18 months, the Swiss-based company plans to unveil a 180,000-square-foot research-and-development facility at the Center of Excellence campus on Route 202/206 and Route 287 in a deal announced by Advance Realty and CrossHarbor Capital Partners, owners of the site.
Nestle Health Science will be the newest tenant at the 110-acre site. The Nestle facility's work will focus on the connection between nutrition and disease.
Construction on the $70 million project will begin later this year with move-in slated to begin July 2016. Nestle will occupy a building that previously served as a research center within the former Sanofi U.S. Research and Development Campus.
"This has potential not only for Somerset County but for New Jersey as a whole," said Freeholder Director Mark Caliguire. "It will definitely enhance our position in terms of the life-sciences industry.
"Having an international company put its stamp of approval on this location is a coup for the ongoing partnerships that have been established between the county, the township, the state and the developer. It also speaks volumes about our reputation for quality of life and a well-educated and well-trained work force."
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Company officials ultimately zeroed in on Bridgewater because of its strategic location within the East Coast's bio-science corridor and its plans to redevelop the area as a mixed-use mecca in which residents can live, work and play.
"We had the opportunity to choose any location in the world as our future home," said Anders Kaspersson, vice president and program manager for research and development, Nestle Health Science. "The N.J. Center of Excellence in Bridgewater offers facilities and a talent pool that are on par with any of the other locations we considered."
"One of the deciding factors was Advance Realty's vision to reposition the campus into a 21st-century, mixed-use 'company town' that includes a hotel, apartments, retail, restaurants and recreational venues in a beautiful setting. This concept will give us a tremendous advantage in attracting the best talent."
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno called Nestle's plan "a door opener" that will encourage other life-sciences companies to locate in or relocate to New Jersey.
"We are delighted that Nestle Health Science will be expanding its presence in the state," she said. "Nearly 150 years of history has shown that there is not a better location in the world for groundbreaking research and discovery, and Nestle Health Science is among a growing number of next-generation leaders that see this.
"In particular, we see the Center of Excellence in Bridgewater as a major draw for companies that require a combination of exceptional facilities, a central location and access to a highly educated, local workforce."
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com.Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
