A partnership between Akridge and Alcion Ventures has broken ground on 949 Washington Street, a 37,500-square-foot life science and office redevelopment in Durham, N.C.

The property was formerly home to Durham’s Brame Specialty Company and will be redeveloped into a Class A life science and creative office building. The property was originally constructed in 1955 and includes a roughly 37,500-square-foot building with second-story loft space. The redevelopment of the building will include additional industrial-style windows and doors, new exterior canopies and metal details, newly installed skylights and upgraded roof, mechanical, HVAC and fire/life safety systems.

Construction on the property, which began in March, is slated to take approximately six months. Akridge and Alcion secured a construction loan from Boston Private Bank and selected McDonald York Construction Company as their general contractor. Additionally, Mac Hammer, Stacy Mbithi, and Doug Cook of Cushman & Wakefield have been tapped to lease the property.