French healthcare giant Sanofi opens Cambridge Crossing campus

The CEO of Sanofi was joined by Gov. Charlie Baker in Cambridge Tuesday, as the French healthcare giant officially opened their new Cambridge Crossing campus.

“The past ten to fifteen years, for this industry, this community, here in the Commonwealth has been extraordinary. There is no doubt in my mind that the next 10 to 15 years are going to be enormous,” Baker said.

The new Water Street facility, all 900,000 square feet of it, will allow 2,500 Sanofi employees to “come together in a shared space,” the company said in a release.

“Cambridge has been our home for many years. Opening our new facility in Cambridge Crossing is allowing us to bring together our employees across Massachusetts under one roof which is an important step in facilitating the kind of collaboration needed to fulfill our purpose of chasing the miracles of science to improve people’s lives, Bill Sibold, a Sanofi executive vice president said.

The facility is actually two structures, at 450 and 350 Water Street.

According to the company both buildings are certified by the U.S. Green Building Council and incorporate state of the art, environmentally friendly features, like auto dimming lights, carbon dioxide sensors, and advanced heating and cooling systems.

The buildings are also equipped to collect rainwater, reducing runoff concerns and resulting, according to the company, in up to 60% water efficiency.

Building in Cambridge, according to Sanofi’s Head of Research and Development, just makes sense.

“We have built an unparalleled facility for our R&D community in Cambridge with a focus on ultra-modern laboratories in close proximity to our scientific and commercial colleagues,” Dr. John Reed said. “Located in the heart of an innovation ecosystem, our new site will serve as an open space to connect our experts with key partners, including top academic research institutions and hospitals.”

The company’s new facility will fit right into the city, Baker said, and is surrounded by an already booming health industry.

“Massachusetts is home to a thriving health care and life sciences ecosystem and Sanofi is a crucial part of the exciting innovation and progress happening here in the Commonwealth. We are thrilled to congratulate Sanofi on the opening of this new campus, which marks a big step forward in creating a vibrant and sustainable workforce that continues to evolve with our community,” he said.

The facility isn’t just about the jobs or the positive environmental footprint, Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson said.

“This is just a symbol of what has just begun,” he said. “We’re chasing the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.”