The firm Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer is one of Virginia’s largest commercial real estate firms and today released a report that takes a look back at the previous calendar year in several markets in the Commonwealth including Charlottesville.
“Virginia’s commitment to launch a $90 million biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturing network together with the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Virginia Commonwealth University has expanded the lifesciences buzz in Charlottesville,” reads a summary in the report.
However, the Trump administration’s decision to put strings on federal funding could place more obstacles in the way of many of the ideas becoming reality.
Ground broke last year on the Manning Institute of Biotechnology at the Fontaine Research Park, a project that needed no rezoning or local permission because it is on property owned by the University of Virginia.
“The Institute will be a highly efficient, state-of-the-art facility that will provide modern, flexible laboratory space to accommodate a wide range of disciplines,” reads UVA’s page on the Institute. “The five-story, 350,000-gross-square-foot facility will include research laboratory space, core facilities, and a cGMP/viral vector facility for researchers and partnering biotechnology companies.”
The site offers no definition for the latter, but we’re sure to learn more as more stories are written.
The CRE Impact Report also highlights the investments Afton Scientific is making at its operations on Avon Street Extended. Governor Glenn Youngkin was on hand last October at a ceremony to announce their plans to invest $200 million into an expansion. At the time, Virginia’s Secretary of Commerce and Trade gave a sense of how large the sector is becoming. (read a story to learn more)
“We are doubling down on what the life sciences community is doing here in Charlottesville,” said Caren Merrick said. “In fact, in Charlottesville, just in the last year, we had more than $400 million of federal research grants. We’ve also had more than $90 million in equity investments in our startups.”
This week, the University of Virginia posted a website to provide an update on how the second administration of President Trump may affect some of the federal grants that cover costs for research into the life sciences at UVA.
“On February 7, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued supplemental guidance to the NIH Grants Policy Statement stating that facilities and administrative (F&A) costs (also known as indirect costs) will now be set at a standard rate of 15 percent for all NIH grantee institutions,” reads the UVA page.
Many grant recipients have expected higher amounts and a coalition of groups filed suit in federal court to stop the rule from going into place.
“Cutting-edge work to cure disease and lengthen lifespans will suffer, and our country will lose its status as the destination for solving the world’s biggest health problem,” reads the complaint. “At stake is not only Americans’ quality of life, but also our Nation’s enviable status as a global leader in scientific research and innovation.”
The complaint argues that the executive action is a violation of the separation of powers embedded in the Constitution. Paragraph six reminds the court that the first Trump administration attempted to make an across-the-board cut to ten percent in 2017 and was overruled by Congress.
On Tuesday, Judge Angel Kelley blocked implementation of the new rule which was to have gone into effect on February 10. The next step is a hearing on February 21 according to a page on the American Council of Education’s website.
“This ruling is important news for our research community, ensuring that ongoing projects will not be disrupted by these proposed funding reductions at this time,” reads the UVA website.
This is an ongoing story. Anything you would like to share will not be published without permission.
Before you go: This edition was originally posted in the February 13, 2025 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement and then posted to Information Charlottesville soon afterward. The idea is to inform, and it’s all part of Town Crier Productions. If you want to support the work, consider a paid subscription through Substack or become a supporter on Patreon.
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