Strategic Real Estate for Growing Organizations: Jennifer Chavez Shares BioMed Realty’s Approach

Flatiron Park is a 1.1-million-square-foot innovation campus in Boulder where BioMed Realty has transformed 24 buildings into modern, flexible environments that support life sciences, technology, and quantum research. 

Acquired in 2022, the campus now features state-of-the-art, move-in-ready lab and office suites. This includes 5555 Central, which was converted from a traditional office into a high-performance research hub for the Colorado Quantum Incubator with advanced lab support, modular systems, and redesigned offices that maximize natural light and mountain views. 

Nearby, 5505 Central blends Cross-Laminated Timber, steel, and sustainable design elements such as solar panels and permeable pavers to create a future-ready setting for discovery. 

Flatiron Park stands out because it delivers a true innovation ecosystem, combining state-of-the-art lab and office environments with a campus design that fosters community, wellbeing, and discovery. Spanning 24 buildings, Flatiron Park offers modern, flexible spaces for life science, quantum, and technology companies, while panoramic mountain views, dedicated pedestrian and bike paths, and abundant open space work to unleash human potential. 

BioMed Realty’s adaptive reuse strategy, exemplified by the transformation of 5555 and 5505 Central, brings high-performance research facilities, sustainable materials, and future-ready infrastructure to the heart of Boulder. Paired with LEED Gold certification, pollinator habitats developed with the Butterfly Pavilion, and amenities and events that cultivate a connected tenant community, the campus delivers a blend of environmental stewardship, cutting-edge design, and user experience rarely seen at this scale, positioning Flatiron Park as a model for next-generation innovation campuses.

We were incredibly proud—and honestly a bit humbled. This recognition reinforces the impact of what’s happening in Boulder and across our portfolio in the US and UK. Flatiron Park represents BioMed Realty’s commitment to investing in places where scientific and technological breakthroughs can thrive, and this award validates the hard work of our teams, our partners, and the innovators who call the campus home. It was a moment of affirmation that our mission-critical infrastructure and community-centered approach are making a real difference.

Flatiron Park was inspired by a simple but powerful idea: create a tenant-first campus that gives innovators the room, resources, and infrastructure to reach their full potential. When we acquired the campus in 2022, we saw an opportunity to transform an underutilized office park into a vibrant hub for life science, technology, and quantum research. 

The inspiration came from listening to our tenants—understanding what they needed to accelerate discovery—and then mobilizing our vertically integrated team to deliver it. The transformation of Flatiron Park reflects our belief that mission-critical environments can be both high-performance and deeply human places that support growth at every stage.

Nestled against the iconic Flatirons and seamlessly connected to the city’s pedestrian and bike path network, Flatiron Park integrates high-performance lab and office spaces within a landscape that feels distinctly Boulder. Mature trees, native plantings, and open outdoor areas foster connection, well-being, and collaboration among tenants. 

Through partnerships such as the Butterfly Pavilion, BioMed has transformed underutilized green spaces into thriving pollinator habitats that celebrate biodiversity and engage the wider community. Every building is designed for flexibility and functionality, offering purpose-built environments that evolve alongside scientific discovery while maintaining a natural, human-centered aesthetic. 

The result is a campus that is active, sustainable, and forward-thinking, while illustrating BioMed Realty’s commitment to creating places where innovation, nature, and community members thrive.

We’re most proud of transforming and repositioning a traditional office campus into a dynamic innovation environment that can support a wide spectrum of tenant types—from early-stage startups to global leaders in life science, technology, and quantum research. 

This required reimagining buildings for high-performance lab use, modernizing infrastructure at scale, and ensuring each space could flex with the evolving needs of today’s researchers. Achieving this while maintaining the campus’s natural beauty and Boulder-centric character was a significant challenge, and seeing Flatiron Park emerge as a thriving, multi-disciplinary ecosystem is one of our team’s greatest accomplishments.

Flatiron Park exemplifies how BioMed Realty is shaping the future of property design and development by creating environments that accelerate innovation. The campus serves as a nexus for scientific and technological advancement and is home to groundbreaking organizations such as the Colorado Quantum Incubator. 

The design prioritizes flexibility, connectivity, and human experience, uniting 24 buildings through thoughtful landscaping, mountain views, and direct access to Boulder’s pedestrian and bike paths. 

This integration of functionality, beauty, and collaboration defines BioMed’s vision for the next generation of life science environments. Flatiron Park demonstrates that the future of property design is not just about constructing facilities, it’s about creating ecosystems that accelerate innovation, attract top talent, and strengthen the regions they serve.

BioMed Realty integrates sustainability into its portfolio through a long-term, strategic approach that links environmental responsibility with operational excellence and innovation. 

Across its properties, BioMed focuses on adaptive reuse, energy efficiency, and the creation of future-ready environments that minimize environmental impact while maximizing tenant performance. This means designing flexible, purpose-built spaces that can evolve alongside advancing science and technology, reducing the need for demolition or new construction.

With LEED Gold certification, campus-wide pollinator habitats created in partnership with the Butterfly Pavilion, and a redevelopment that generated over 600 construction jobs, Flatiron Park demonstrates how adaptive reuse, ecological stewardship, and world-class research environments can work together to fuel Boulder’s growing innovation ecosystem. BioMed’s sustainability philosophy reflects its broader mission to create environments where innovation thrives.