PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Tucked behind Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School, one of Rhode Island’s most ambitious construction projects is rapidly taking shape. Upon completion, the state-of-the art William A. and Ami Kuan Danoff Life Sciences Laboratories will provide labs and workspaces for Brown-led research in aging, immunity, brain science, cancer and biomedical engineering, among other fields.
Work on the seven-story, 300,000-square-foot facility began in Summer 2024, and the floors, façade and major elements are now in place. The project has remained on schedule for projected completion in 2027 despite some intense bouts of wind and last winter’s historic blizzard — which, thanks to the team’s detailed planning, caused no delays.
“From an overall schedule perspective, we continue to be on track on two very significant milestones,” said Anthony Casello, senior director of design and construction in Facilities and Campus Operations. “Brown will start move-in on the completed floors in February 2027 and open the building for overall use in May.”
Designed by architecture firms TenBerke and Ballinger with Suffolk as lead contractor, the facility will become the largest academic laboratory building in the Ocean State when it opens as a signature project in Brown’s commitment to advancing research for impact.
While many drivers on Providence’s highways have spotted the tower crane atop the site (which was used to literally drop in large features like stairwells), few have had the ability to peek inside — until now. These photos by Nick Dentamaro show what’s been happening inside Danoff Laboratories.