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JLL Report Places Houston Among Top Life Sciences Markets

Published Apr 19, 2021 by A.J. Mistretta

Medical Research lab

A new report identifies Houston as one of the nation’s top emerging markets for life sciences. 

Commercial real estate services company JLL ranks Houston 7th in the U.S. when it comes to the number of STEM degrees among workers (409,354) and 8th in wage positioning, or wages above the industry average likely to draw talent. 

"Traditional top life science markets will likely retain their positions; however, it's encouraging that Houston, home to one of the world's largest medical centers, continues to rise on the list of markets for further advancements in the life sciences sector," JLL said in the report.

Partnership research shows that Houston is home to more than 1,900 life sciences companies, hospitals, health care facilities, and research institutions with a workforce of more than 320,000. Houston is also home to the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest such complex, with more than 106,000 employees serving 10 million patients annually. TMC will soon break ground on TMC3, a 30-acre translational research campus that will bring together major health care players, academic institutions and innovative life sciences companies to collaborate. 

Other major life sciences projects include Levit Green, a 52-acre site near the intersection of Texas 288 and Holcombe Blvd. being developed by Hines in partnership with the Levit family. The project is slated to include a mix of office space, research facilities, retail, residential and green space. Meanwhile, Texas A&M University is building Texas A&M Innovation Plaza, a $550 million, 5-acre, mixed-use complex on the edge of the TMC. The project being developed in phases through 2024 will include education space for the university’s dual-degree program in medicine and engineering, student housing and commercial space for clinical, research and office use.

Learn more about Houston's life sciences industry

 

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