Industry News

The Swedish Neuroscience Institute opened its new $30-million clinical complex at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle in February of 2007. The facility includes four technology-rich operating rooms at 900,000 sf each, with four additional operating rooms in shell condition that will be developed in the future.

The University of Connecticut has purchased the 113,000-sf FarmTech building in Farmington and will spend $35-million to renovate it as a Center of Innovation for stem cell, genetics, and bioengineering research. Sited on 24 acres, the cross-disciplinary, collaborative facility will house wet and dry laboratories, business incubator space, classrooms, and the University’s human embryonic stem cell core laboratory. Sustainable design features of the building will include heat recovery systems and gray water recycling. The Center of Innovation is expected to open in 2009.

Elan Corp. is planning the $100-million construction of two buildings in South San Francisco. Totaling 185,000 sf, the three-story facilities will be owned by developer Chamberlin Associates and leased by Elan, enabling the pharmaceutical firm to hire an additional 500 employees. The project is being designed by Dowler-Gruman Architects. 

Cadence Design Systems broke ground in February 2007 on a five-story, 208,000-sf R&D center in San Jose, Calif. Housing engineering research in integrated circuits and electrical systems for the electronics industry, Building 10 will enable the consolidation of Cadence’s research and development operations in a single collaboration-enhancing technology center.

Providence Health System has selected HMC Architects of San Diego to design the $143-million expansion of Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, Calif. Slated for completion in 2010, the project consists of a four-story tower addition housing a women’s services department with labor, delivery, and neonatal ICU; general acute care; surgery, recovery, and endoscopy; an intensive care unit; a chapel; and dining areas.