New home for Pivot Bio completed in ISU Research Park

In November 2023, Story Construction completed construction of a new 35,000 sq. ft. facility for Pivot Bio at the Iowa State University Research Park. The new facility marks the third time in recent years that Pivot Bio has grown its footprint at the Park.

In March 2019, Pivot Bio opened its first office location at the Research Park as the company’s Midwest hub. It quickly outgrew that space and moved into a bigger space in the summer of 2021 at the Vermeer Applied Technology Hub. Then, in 2022, Pivot Bio and the Research Park approached Story Construction about building a new facility entirely for Pivot Bio’s operations.

“We engaged the team at Story early on because of their ability to lead a project from the early idea stages to the final building product,” said Kyle Martin, operations manager at the ISU Research Park. “

The new facility’s primary features include private offices, open office and “hoteling” areas, conference and training rooms, two kitchenettes, and a large high-bay space for research, sales support and training of Pivot Bio’s patented seed technology. The office portion of the building is two stories at about 10,000 sq. ft. each, with the first floor featuring training and conference spaces and the second floor featuring more office space. This separation allows Pivot Bio to avoid mixing visitor traffic with the more private working spaces on the second floor. The high-bay production space includes dock doors and a drive-through bay for shipment handling, and the site layout allows for one-way semi traffic.

Story Construction architects worked with the Research Park and Pivot Bio to develop design of the building from conceptual and schematic designs all the way through construction documents and the selection of finishes and furnishings. Construction began in November 2022 and was move-in ready by the end of November 2023.

“From the first time Pivot Bio approached us about having their own branded facility to the substantial completion date was a span of only a year and a half,” added Martin. “That’s a story that we’re really proud to tell.”

Story Construction self-performed concrete foundations, structural steel and precast erection, metal decking, casework, doors and hardware, and specialties on the project.

This project for Pivot Bio grows the long list of significant projects Story Construction has completed at the ISU Research Park since the Park’s inception in 1987. The list includes the Research Park’s Economic Development Core Facility, the research and development lab for Boehringer Ingelheim, Workiva, and the Alliant Energy Ag Innovation Lab currently in progress at the Park’s south end.