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Downtown Gainesville, Florida, looking southwest from SE 1st Avenue in November 2021: a brick street lined with parked cars, two- and three-story storefront buildings and a construction crane

Lab Space for Lease in Gainesville, FL

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Downtown Gainesville, looking southwest from SE 1st Avenue, November 2021.

Lab space for lease in Gainesville, FL sits in three places I can source: The Hub at UF Innovate downtown, Sid Martin Biotech in Alachua, and San Felasco Tech City, also in Alachua. All three tie back to the University of Florida research pipeline.

I have not found a current published lab rent or vacancy figure for Gainesville, so I do not quote one. Here are the operators' published specs instead.

The Hub is the downtown option, 7 blocks from campus

UF Innovate lists The Hub at 747 SW 2nd Ave STE 160, Gainesville, FL 32601. It describes the building as in the heart of the Gainesville Innovation District, 7 blocks from main UF campus. The Hub is 96,947 square feet.

UF Innovate lists 11 wet labs, 28 dry labs and 68 executive offices or suites. It also lists 56 active residential clients. The Hub opened in October 2011. UF Innovate says the expansion opened in January 2018, doubling the facility to a total of 100,000 square feet. The Innovation District page covers the surrounding blocks.

Sid Martin Biotech is the wet-lab option in Alachua

Sid Martin Biotech is at 12085 Research Dr, Alachua, FL 32615. UF Innovate lists it at 32,546 square feet with 25 wet labs and 13 active biotech companies. That is the heaviest wet-lab count of the three sourced options. The Progress Park page covers the area.

San Felasco Tech City offers the largest blocks

San Felasco Tech City advertises 2,500 up to 210,000 square feet of tech space. It states that light manufacturing, wet labs and dry labs are all available. It also lists 252 homes and says it is adjacent to the 7,200-acre San Felasco Hammock preserve.

I would confirm what is built and what is a shell before you count on it.

A wet lab needs plumbing, a dry lab needs power

A wet lab handles chemicals, biological samples and liquids. It needs sinks, ventilation, bench surfaces and often special waste handling. A dry lab is for computing, electronics, imaging and instruments. It needs power and data more than plumbing.

Some teams need both. A biotech team might run assays in a wet lab and analyze results in a dry lab. Ask each operator which suites are which, and what you can change. I can help you ask.

Converting a suite from one use to the other costs money. That answer can shape your budget as much as the rent. I would also ask who services the building systems.

UF spin-outs are the likely tenants

UF Innovate reports 11.4B+ generated in private investment, 344+ startups launched by tech licensing and 7,900+ jobs created with startups. I would expect tenants like these:

  • UF spin-outs leaving a campus lab.
  • Biotech companies that need wet-lab benches.
  • Software and hardware teams that need dry labs and offices.
  • Companies that want light manufacturing near research talent.

For owners, the build-out decides the deal

If you own space that could serve lab users, the build-out is the gating item. Lab tenants ask about ventilation, floor loading, power and waste. A building without those costs the tenant more to occupy. Tell me what exists and what you would fund. My lease my building page explains the process.

A lab brief needs more detail than an office brief

Send:

  1. Wet lab, dry lab or both, and how many benches.
  2. Square feet needed, as a range.
  3. Utility needs: power, ventilation, water, waste.
  4. Any hazardous materials or biosafety level.
  5. Preferred area: downtown, Alachua or open.
  6. Target move-in date and lease term.

Send it through the find space form. I read it and call or email you to set up a short first call. For clinic users, see my medical office space page.

Frequently asked questions

Where can a company lease lab space in Gainesville?

I see three sourced options: The Hub at UF Innovate, Sid Martin Biotech and San Felasco Tech City. The Hub is at 747 SW 2nd Ave STE 160, Gainesville, per UF Innovate. Sid Martin Biotech is at 12085 Research Dr, Alachua, per UF Innovate.

How many labs does The Hub have?

UF Innovate lists 11 wet labs, 28 dry labs and 68 executive offices or suites at The Hub. It also lists 56 active residential clients. The Hub is 96,947 square feet, per UF Innovate.

How big is Sid Martin Biotech?

UF Innovate lists Sid Martin Biotech at 32,546 square feet with 25 wet labs and 13 active biotech companies. The address is 12085 Research Dr, Alachua, FL 32615.

What is the difference between a wet lab and a dry lab?

A wet lab handles chemicals, biological samples and liquids, so it needs plumbing, ventilation and bench surfaces built for that work. A dry lab is for computing, electronics and instruments, and needs power and data more than plumbing. A tenant should confirm which type each suite is before touring.

What does lab space cost per square foot in Gainesville?

I have not found a current published lab rent figure for Gainesville, so I do not quote one. The Hub, Sid Martin Biotech and San Felasco Tech City do not publish rents in the pages I reviewed. Ask me to request terms for a specific suite.

Does San Felasco Tech City offer wet labs?

San Felasco Tech City states that light manufacturing, wet labs and dry labs are all available. It lists 2,500 up to 210,000 square feet of tech space, per its website. It is adjacent to the 7,200-acre San Felasco Hammock preserve.

Office space for lease in Gainesville, FL, found and negotiated for you
Sources
  1. UF Innovate | Accelerate, accessed 2026-10-06
  2. UF Innovate | Accelerate, accessed 2026-10-06
  3. UF Innovate | Accelerate, accessed 2026-10-06
  4. San Felasco Tech City, accessed 2026-10-06
  5. San Felasco Tech City, accessed 2026-10-06
  6. UF Innovate, accessed 2026-10-06