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New York & Tri-State  + Uptown/Bronx  |  July 29, 2026
Paul Bubny
By: Paul Bubny

Bill Ackman’s Foundation Acquiring Two Upper West Side Buildings to House Brain Research Center

Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Foundation will pay $260 million to acquire two Upper West Side buildings that will house a brain research facility, according to published reports. The foundation, also known as Pershing Square Philanthropies, acquired 125 West End Ave., which currently houses a 400,000-square-foot life sciences and research campus known as West End Labs, for $190 million, and has signed a $70-million contract for the neighboring 320 W. 66th St., along with additional development rights.

If Ackman exercises the development rights, the brain research facility could span 700,000 square feet at full buildout, Fortune magazine reported. To be known as the Ackman Oxman Institute, the complex could eclipse the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research and other significant health research facilities in New York City.

The timeline for the research center’s opening is not known. However, it will be developed in partnership with Mount Sinai Hospital System. The Ackman Oxman Institute’s board is working on hiring its first CEO, Ackman told Fortune.

Pictured: West End Labs. Photo courtesy of Taconic Investment Partners.

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About Paul Bubny

Paul Bubny serves as Senior Content Director for Connect Commercial Real Estate, a role to which he brings 16-plus years’ experience covering the commercial real estate industry and 30-plus years in business-to-business journalism. In this capacity, he oversees daily operations while also reporting on both local/regional markets and national trends, covering individual transactions across all property types, as well as delving into broader subject matter. He produces 7-10 daily news stories per day and works with the Connect team and clients to develop longer-form content, ranging from Q&As to thought-leadership pieces. Prior to joining Connect, Paul was Managing Editor for both Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com at American Lawyer Media, where he oversaw operations at both publications while also producing daily news and feature-length articles. His tenure in B2B publishing stretches back into the print era, and he has served as Editor in Chief on four national trade publications. Since 1999, Paul has volunteered as the newsletter editor of passenger rail advocacy groups (one national, one local).
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