New Brunswick’s HELIX NJ Innovation District is taking another major step forward as construction begins on the 370,000-square-foot Nokia Bell Labs Headquarters at the H-2 site. Developed by SJP Properties, the 10-story facility is expected to become one of the most advanced electronics research centers in North America.
The new headquarters represents a cornerstone of the 4-acre HELIX NJ Innovation District, designed to integrate industry, academia, healthcare, and research in a collaborative environment. The project aligns with New Brunswick’s ongoing transformation efforts, which also include the modernization of the city’s train station, supported by a $50 million investment from the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund.
Several key partners have joined forces to bring the development to life. DEVCO (New Brunswick Development Corporation) serves as the HELIX master developer, with financial backing from Morgan Stanley and construction financing from PNC Bank. Representation for the landlord is being handled by JLL’s Dan Loughlin, Blake Goodman, Dan Spero, Jason Benson, and Peter Ladas, while Colliers’ Sam Horowitz, Chris Hovanec, and Ray Iodice represent the tenant side. Equity partners are supported by Adam Spies and Chris Kramer of Newmark.
“It is a duty as a real estate developer to ensure that the communities where we build not only stay strong but have the opportunity to grow stronger by developing future-proof workplaces that empower enterprises such as Nokia Bell Labs to remain at the leading edge of innovation,” said Steven J. Pozycki, Founder & CEO of SJP Properties.
As part of HELIX Phase 2, the H-2 site sits across from H-1, which houses the New Jersey Innovation HUB and Rutgers Translational Research facilities. The district also includes the Rutgers School of Medicine (under construction) and the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center at the Rutgers Cancer Institute—both also developed by DEVCO.
“The addition of Nokia Bell Labs to the HELIX ecosystem is another step in creating a place that will foster innovation, discovery, and commercialization,” noted Chris Paladino, President of DEVCO. “By putting brilliant people together in one place, we will change lives with the work that will be done here.”
Nokia Bell Labs’ new headquarters will provide space for groundbreaking work in next-generation networks, advanced AI and software systems, industrial automation, quantum computing, and optical research. Nokia signed a long-term lease for the entire building in 2023, supported by a $103 million Aspire tax incentive package awarded by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority earlier this year.
Completion of the headquarters is scheduled for late 2027, and local leaders emphasize its significance for both New Brunswick and the broader innovation economy.
“The start of construction on the new Nokia Bell Labs Headquarters at HELIX NJ marks a defining moment in New Brunswick’s ongoing evolution as a premier hub for research, innovation, and economic vitality,” said Mayor Jim Cahill.
Once complete, the new facility will not only strengthen Nokia’s position at the forefront of global technology development but also cement New Brunswick as a nationally recognized center for research-driven growth, jobs, and economic expansion.
Originally reported by Bill Hartnett in Jersey Digs.
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