5505 Central Tops Out

Located at one of the most impactful corners of the East Boulder commercial market, 5505 Central is the first ground-up life-science project in Flatiron Park since BioMed Realty’s record-setting Boulder property purchase in 2022. With its prominent location, the new two-story building is the gateway to the park’s continued transformation, accelerating the influx of local talent and science activity.

The project, located near OZ’s award-winning Loading Dock CLT building, seamlessly connects the 55th Street grid and local fabric to the lower office parking level via a prominently glazed exterior stair. The building also provides an open outdoor amenity deck and plaza for the surrounding properties.

After BioMed’s acquisition, OZ was retained to customize the building, originally designed as a Class A office, to meet the new life-science direction. The upgrades required to pivot use from predominantly office to predominately lab included changing heights, water service, electrical service, generator requirements, vibration criteria, adding additional PV, a loading area, and providing an overall increase in building area. OZ managed these design modifications and ushered the project through the complicated City entitlement process with no delays in delivery.

Design characteristics of this development include the enhancement of the adjacent building’s site landscape, wood decking, substantial bicycle parking for the surrounding office buildings, a water quality area, permeable pavers, photovoltaic panels, stadium seating for various events, and custom metal panel skin.