Industry News

The University of Louisville is planning to expand its Health Science Center in downtown Louisville over the next 20 years. The $2.5 billion project will include 3.2 million-sf of construction including six combined lab and office buildings, research facilities, administration, and parking space. The project will be supported by $1.8 billion in public funds and $700 million from private industry and aims to incubate business and research development.

Michigan State University dedicated its $10 million Energy and Automotive Research Laboratories facility on August 24, 2007. The 29,000-sf building will accommodate research on engine efficiency, vehicle emission reductions, and alternate fuel and energy sources. The research facility includes a powertrain lab, two test engine cells, and a cold room for engine turnover testing in temperatures of 40 degrees below zero.

Oakwood Research Facility, a breeder of pathogen-free rabbits for medical research, received approval in July of 2007 to construct a rabbit facility in Attica Township, Michigan. The planned facility will be comprised of three 8,000-sf pathogen-free barns. Oakwood Research provides rabbits to the Indiana-based lab animal distributor Harlan Sprague Dawley, whose clients include the University of Michigan Ann Arbor Medical School, Michigan State University, The Cleveland Clinic, and Duke University.

The University of Texas at El Paso will build a $60 million health sciences complex to replace its existing College of Health Sciences and School of Nursing. The project, to be located on or contiguous to the main UTEP campus, was approved by the UT System Board of Regents in late August of 2007. The facility will promote research, clinical, and training partnerships with Texas Tech University.

Pfizer broke ground in late summer of 2007 on a $50 million expansion of the JJ Building in Chesterfield, Mo. The project will add 50,000 sf to the existing 60,000-sf facility to support increased production of biologic compounds. Completion is slated for late 2009. Pfizer is also constructing the 330,000-sf, $200 million New Research Building, a drug development facility, at the Chesterfield campus. Completion is expected in late 2008.