LANL has announced that it will lease 81 Camino Entrada, seen here, for light lab space. Courtesy photo

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Los Alamos National Laboratory announced in a news release Monday that it will lease approximately 20,000 square feet of light lab space at 81 Camino Entrada, the former home of the Viome Laboratory. The property is owned by Central Park Square, LLC.

LANL defines light lab space as “general-purpose space for conducting routine scientific tests such as algae growth or water-sample analysis” and says “no nuclear or hazardous activity will take place there”.

LANL has been discussing its need for light lab space within a 50-mile driving radius since 2020. A request for information for properties in Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandoval and Santa Fe Counties yielded 31 respondents including three that LANL found interesting. In 2021 a formal request for proposals was issued and since that time, LANL has leased the Pacheco Complex and another building at N. Guadalupe and W. Alameda in Santa Fe as well as 49,000 square feet at 195 East Road in Los Alamos.