Laboratory-adjacent buildings are won on details: floor vibration, power quality, clean utility corridors and a schedule that respects researchers who cannot lose a week to a late inspection. We build and fit out R&D, light manufacturing and prototype facilities at the Sandia Science and Technology Park with that standard, from shell construction to the last piece of lab casework.
The park is a 340-acre high-tech campus in the foothills of the Manzano Mountains, with 47 companies and organizations and nearly 2,000 employees listed on its own site. It lies east of Kirtland Air Force Base and extends along the south end of Eubank Boulevard, next to the national laboratory and the Air Force Research Laboratory. The national laboratory reports a fiscal year 2025 workforce of 16,320 and a budget of $5.8 billion, which is the economic gravity behind the park's tenants.
For a prospective tenant or owner, that context shapes the building brief. Tenants are often small, technical and growing, so buildings need to handle change: lab modules that become offices, high-bay areas that become assembly lines, power and cooling that can be upgraded. Building flexibility into the first phase costs less than reworking it later, and we help you decide where it pays off.
The park serves a broad technical community. Advanced manufacturing and prototyping firms need clean power, compressed air and process cooling, while instrument developers want vibration-controlled floors and temperature stability. Some companies work with controlled equipment or sensitive data, which affects layout and access control.
Life sciences and biotech startups form another group. Our pharmaceutical and life sciences work covers lab buildouts with pressure control, filtered air and washable finishes. We coordinate with the tenant's scientific team on equipment loads and utilities so the building matches the research.
New buildings in the park often start as flexible shells with high ceilings, clear spans and generous utility capacity. We then build industrial tenant improvements to customize the space: partitions, lab casework, ventilation, process piping and electrical distribution. The tenant can move in before every room is finished if the schedule requires it.
Expansion work follows a similar pattern. We add bays, mezzanines or mechanical yards to an existing building while keeping the research running. Where a company needs an industrial office buildout in front of lab or shop space, we integrate the two so the layout, HVAC zoning and acoustics suit both.
Lab-grade floors begin with the subgrade. We prepare, compact and test it, then place slabs with the thickness, reinforcement and flatness the equipment needs. For heavy instruments, we pour isolated pads separated from the main slab so vibration does not travel into sensitive equipment.
Sitework in the foothills also demands care. We cut and fill to shape the pad, place retaining structures where the grade steps down and build the drainage that carries storm water around the building and into the site's drainage path. Having our trade partners on these items keeps the pad right and the schedule steady.
In a lab or prototype building, mechanical and electrical systems account for much of the budget. Fume hoods, exhaust systems, process chilled water, emergency power and clean power distribution are the big-ticket items, and their lead times often exceed the structure. Our estimators price those systems separately so you can see the effect of each design choice.
Finishes also vary. Epoxy floors, chemical-resistant surfaces, cleanroom partitions and specialty doors cost more than office finishes, so we help tenants decide which rooms need them and which do not. A clear program, completed before design, is the best tool for controlling cost.
The park sits in the foothills of the Manzano Mountains, where slopes concentrate storm runoff and arroyos carry fast flows after monsoon storms. A building pad has to be placed and graded so that water passes around it, and storm structures must be sized for the volumes they will see. We study the drainage path before settling the building location.
The park is run by a non-profit development corporation, so owner and campus review is part of the schedule. We submit early, respond to comments quickly and keep the review process moving. Eubank Boulevard, served by I-40 exit 165, is the main access, and we plan construction traffic to avoid peak commuter periods.
The park adjoins a major federal research community, and it makes sense for a tenant to compare the park with other nearby options. Sites on the base are controlled-access, while the area around the air force base offers buildings with differing levels of security. Some tenants who need larger sites turn to Mesa del Sol.
We help clients weigh the options with a simple comparison of land cost, utilities, access and expansion room, then identify the best match for the first building and for the second. Choosing a location with room to grow keeps future phases straightforward.
Tell us about the equipment, the people and the schedule. We will outline the shell, buildout and utility needs and return a scope and budget range. Call or use the contact form.
Often, with the right foundation design. Isolated slabs, sub-slab treatments and careful placement away from truck traffic and mechanical equipment can reduce vibration to the level the instrument needs. We work with the equipment vendor and a vibration consultant to set a target and design to it.
The time depends on equipment lead times, system complexity and permit review. Simple lab conversions may take a few months, while complex ones with specialized HVAC can take considerably longer. We provide a schedule that shows long-lead items and inspection steps so you can plan your move-in.
Yes. A shell with strong utilities, clear heights and an easy path to subdivide can appeal to many tenants. We design it with options for lab, office and light assembly, and we price tenant improvements separately so each new tenant sees a clear cost.
Settle the equipment list, the utility loads and the number of people first. Those three items determine the size of the mechanical yard, the electrical service and the structural grid, and changing them after design starts is expensive. We sit down with your scientists or production leads during preconstruction, translate their needs into loads and clearances and give the architect and engineers a program they can design to without guessing. A written program also makes it easier to compare bids and to explain the project to a lender or board.
Eubank Boulevard is the main street, and I-40 exit 165 serves it. Trucks should be routed to avoid residential streets, and we plan construction deliveries accordingly. A short traffic plan accompanies the site submittal.
Tell us about the property, the building and the schedule.
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