Imvax is a Philadelphia-based biotechnology company developing vaccines and techniques to combat previously untreatable forms of cancer. The firm moved its headquarters and primary research and development (R&D) lab to the historic Curtis Center in Old City, Philadelphia. This building once housed printing equipment used to produce magazines; one publication was The Saturday Evening Post that began weekly circulation in 1897. 

Watchdog was engaged to oversee the design and construction of the new headquarters. The Watchdog project managers brought in a general contractor to assist with real-time pricing and schedule status updates during design development. The team worked with the designers to achieve Imvax’s vision by collaborating with the building’s engineering department, the landlord, existing tenants, and the Historical Commission. 

The team provided construction insight while the office space was transformed into an advanced bio-pharma lab. Watchdog monitored engineers performing seismic studies. This was required to confirm the specialized laboratory equipment, like the highly sensitive electron microscopes, could tolerate the fluctuation of the building’s structural components. The team also managed the procurement and delivery of designated laboratory furniture, such as biosafety cabinets. The space was designed with a separate HVAC system for flexibility of use and to comply with regulatory certification standards in the future if required.

Building-wide coordination was critical when creating the independent HVAC system for the Imvax equipment. The Watchdog team conducted regular meetings with the building’s engineering group to review upcoming activities and discuss ways to minimize disruptions to other tenants while crews reworked the system. An available elevator shaft was used as a dedicated area to connect an exhaust fan’s ductwork from the lab seven stories to the rooftop. Crews installed the ductwork and lifted the large fan using an aerial work platform in the open elevator shaft. Once the exhaust equipment was on the roof, it was painted to be more concealed at the request of the Historical Commission. Watchdog’s oversight of the multiple construction activities resulted in the successful completion of the headquarters.