Two planned biotech parks figure to boost start-up companies in the region.
      Construction is under way on the second bioscience incubator building at the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park at Farmingdale State University. The $16.4-million facility is an expansion of the initial $21.6-million building that opened in 2002, and will house up to 37 individual labs designed for flexibility.
      OSI Pharmaceuticals, a developer of cancer treatments, is the anchor tenant of the first building and eventually will occupy the entire 63,500 sq. ft. (5,900 sq. m.) of space. Helicon Therapeutics, a startup that occupies space in the first building, plans to expand to larger space in the new building when it opens in December 2005. Helicon focuses on aging disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
      The East River Science Park is a proposed bioscience research and development campus on a New York City-owned portion of the Bellevue Hospital Center. The New York City Investment Fund, a private civic investment fund, is committing up to $10 million toward development of the center. When completed, the center will encompass more than 870,000 sq. ft. (80,800 sq. m.) of scientific research and development, office and small-scale retail space.