Industry News

The Department of Veterans Affairs will construct a $36 million clinical addition at the Biloxi VA hospital in Alabama. The four-story, 161,000-sf facility will provide four surgical suites, 20 patient rooms, and seven intensive care rooms. The general contractor for the project is Hoar Construction.

The N.C. Biotechnology Center has selected Skanska to manage construction of a $10.4 million addition to its headquarters in Research Triangle Park. Designed by Perkins + Will of Charlotte, the four-story, 20,000-sf expansion will house office and conference space. Construction will begin in October of 2009 and reach completion in fall of 2010. LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the project.

Senator Joe Lieberman, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee, proposed the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Prevention and Preparedness Act in September of 2009. The bill would restructure the Select Agent Program by creating a tiered system to enhance security requirements for more dangerous pathogens and lessen controls on others.

DuPont is planning a $45 million expansion of its polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) manufacturing plant in Louisville, Kye. Adding 78,000-sf to the existing 300,000-sf facility, the expansion is slated for completion in mid-2010. DuPont's brand of polyvinyl fluoride, Tedlar®, is used in the production of solar panels. DuPont is also initiating a $55 million expansion of its manufacturing facility in Fayetteville, N.C.

Wellmont Health System is partnering with HealthSouth Corporation to create a $4.5 million, 20,000-sf rehabilitation hospital in Bristol, Va. An existing building will be renovated to provide a 25-bed inpatient facility with 17 private rooms. Construction will begin in early 2010 with completion slated for summer of 2010.