Corporate

Foxconn Industrial Internet will begin construction in fall of 2019 on the 261,600-sf Smart Manufacturing Center in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Accommodating up to 500 employees at full capacity, the facility will support the production of components for computer server racks with integrated manufacturing space, warehouse areas, and a 40,000-sf office mezzanine. The Smart Manufacturing Center was designed by Eppstein Uhen Architects and will be built by Mortenson Construction. Completion is expected by summer of 2020.

Ford Motor Company is planning a comprehensive redevelopment of its research campus in Dearborn, Mich. Designed by Snøhetta to promote collaboration and innovation, the master plan for the Research & Engineering Center will create an integrated network of empowered workplaces, state-of-the-art labs, advanced production facilities, and inspiring meeting spaces. By significantly increasing building density, Ford will be able accommodate over 20,000 employees at the site and consolidate other Michigan locations.

DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners and Leggat McCall Properties are building a Class-A laboratory building in Somerville, Mass. The nine-story, 289,000-sf facility will provide leading-edge research and office space for life sciences and technology companies. The mixed-use development will include dedicated retail space on the ground floor and four levels of underground parking.

Adaptive Biotechnologies is expanding its presence in Seattle with the lease of a 100,000-sf headquarters building in Seattle. The lab and office facility is located in the Lake Union life science district and is being developed by Alexandria Real Estate Equities. Adaptive will occupy the entire structure, which is sited adjacent to its existing facility. Building amenities will include an open-air plaza, a rooftop desk, a fitness center, locker and shower rooms, and direct access to water sports on Lake Union.

Foundation Medicine will locate its 580,000-sf life science headquarters in a planned 625,000-sf building in Boston's Seaport Square. Designed by Morris Adjmi Architects and Stantec, the leased building will provide leading-edge research, collaboration, and administrative facilities to support the creation of innovative biomedical therapies.

Wexford Science+Technology opened the $88 million Wexford Innovation Center in July of 2019 in Providence, R.I. Designed by Ayers Saint Gross, the seven-story, 202,000-sf building will accommodate tenants including Brown University's School of Professional Studies, the Cambridge Innovation Center, Johnson & Johnson, the Venture Café, and The Boston Globe. Interior improvements valued at $17 million were performed for the Cambridge Innovation Center's facilities.

Komatsu Mining Corp. is planning to construct a new $285 million headquarters campus in Milwaukee. The project will include an administrative office building with an integrated research center and a company museum. A 430,000-sf manufacturing facility will also be built on the 54-acre site. Groundbreaking will occur in late 2019 with completion expected in 2022. Subsequent phases of development may include the expansion of both structures and the construction of a second manufacturing building.

Eli Lilly and Company is building a 45,000-sf headquarters facility in Basingstoke in the United Kingdom. Located in the Basing View Enterprise Zone, the project is being built by Muse Developments with Morgan Sindall Construction as general contractor. Designed by TP Bennett, the facility will provide open offices, conference rooms, and collaboration spaces to support the production of Eli Lilly's innovative pharmaceutical therapies. The leased building will be owned by the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Lowe's Companies is planning to create the $153 million Global Technology Center in Charlotte, N.C. The 375,000-sf facility will be located on 15 upper floors in the planned Design Center Tower, a 23-story building developed by a joint venture of Childress Klein and RAM Realty Advisors. The Lowe’s Global Technology Center will provide collaborative offices, meeting rooms, computer labs, and interaction areas to accelerate the development of solutions for the transformation of the company's technology systems.

Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the first quarter of 2019. Key points include:

Royal Caribbean Cruises began construction in June of 2019 on its $300 million headquarters in Miami. Located on Dodge Island, the 10-story, 350,000-sf facility will provide open-plan offices and collaboration spaces to promote connectivity. Designed by HOK to mitigate the potential risks of climate change, the structure's lobby will be located 15 feet above sea level, and critical building systems will be sited on upper levels for maximum resiliency.

The Harvard Allston Land Company (HALC) issued a request for proposals in June of 2019 for the development of a 14-acre parcel in Boston. HALC, the entity responsible for Harvard University's planned Enterprise Research Campus, is seeking a single partner with an integrated team of architects, engineers, construction managers, government-relations personnel, and financiers for the project. Uses planned for the area and approved by Boston’s development authority include:

The Wistar Institute is partnering with University Place Associates to construct a 240,000-sf life science discovery hub in the University City district of Philadelphia. Designed to accelerate innovation by providing shared resources and critical infrastructure, the collaborative project will provide leasable laboratories and offices for biotech firms, research companies, and academic institutions.

Georgia Tech opened the $375 million Coda building in May of 2019. Located at Technology Square in Atlanta, the 755,000-sf innovation hub provides interdisciplinary research space for Georgia Tech's data analytics and computational science programs, as well as offering leasable offices and labs for industry partners. The 21-story tower features a central piazza with a spiral staircase leading to the Collaboration Core, a series of six three-story vertical atriums that join the wings of the building.

The Center for Active Design will release Fitwel v2.1 in June of 2019. Promoting the creation of facilities that optimize health, Fitwel was developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the Center for Active Design acting as its licensed operator. The updated version of Fitwel includes a new construction pathway for pre-occupancy and post-occupancy projects and now provides both a Design Certification and a Built Certification. Existing facilities will continue to be eligible for certification in the Built category.