A new office and research building is under construction near Infinity Hall

The shell of a mixed-use office and research building at Innovation Square will be completed in the summer, said Lindsey Roberts, the project developer.

During the construction of 800 Second at Innovation Square, Southwest Eighth Street — between Southwest First Avenue and Southwest Second Avenue — will be closed until Feb. 7, city spokesperson Chip Skinner said.

The building, complete with offices, a laboratory and retail space, will have 55,000 rentable square feet and has been in the works for two years, Roberts, the marketing manager for Concept Companies, the developer of the project, wrote in an email.

“(It) will meet the needs of the growing Gainesville business community and the demand for contemporary facilities proximate to UF and downtown,” she said.

The CEO of Concept Companies Brian Crawford said the building is state-of-the-art.

“With rectangular floor plates and full height glass, spaces are efficient and naturally lit,” he said. “The Gainesville business community was ready for a class-A office option.”

Cole Gomez said she’s surprised she hadn’t noticed the construction noise close to her work.

The UF computer engineering senior works in the UF Office of Real Estate next door and just got back to work Thursday after being out of town for winter break.

“That whole metal structure went up basically the entire time I was gone,” the 21-year-old said. “Before I left, it was basically dirt and holes in the ground.”

Contact Christina Morales at cmorales@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @Christina_M18.

During the construction of 800 Second at Innovation Square, Southwest Eighth Street — between Southwest First Avenue and Southwest Second Avenue — will be closed, city spokesperson Chip Skinner said.