Nokia Bell Labs Breaks Ground on ‘The Helix,’ a State-of-the-Art Research Tower in New Brunswick

Construction has started on a massive research hub in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Nokia Bell Labs will build a 10-story center that spans 370,000 square feet. When finished in 2028, it will house 1,000 minds working on next-gen tech.

At the site called "The Helix," crews started digging in July 2025. Steel work kicks off next spring. The spot sits right by New Brunswick's train stop in the Health + Life Science Exchange area.

"The decision to come to New Brunswick was for their employees and their future," said Steve Pozycki, CEO of SJP Properties, according to Real Estate NJ.

This isn't your typical office tower. The second floor needs a special four-foot-thick base to stop shaking that could mess with lab work. SJP Properties leads the build, backed by Morgan Stanley's cash and PNC Bank's construction funds.

After eight decades in Murray Hill, the team will move to their new home. The fresh spot puts them close to top schools, perfect for finding bright new talent.

"Five hundred of those mathematicians and scientists are going to be young people who are graduating from Rutgers and Princeton and Stevens and NJIT," said Chris Paladino, president of New Brunswick Development Corp.

This marks round two of the four-acre HELIX site plan. Phase one brought in Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the New Jersey Innovation Hub, taking up 574,000 square feet.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy sees this as a fresh start for Nokia and Bell Labs in the state. When doors open, teams will push boundaries in quantum computing and other tech breakthroughs.

The build brings 1,000 jobs to town. By winter 2025, two floors should stand firm. If all goes well, the whole thing wraps up in late 2027.