Industry News

Texas Southern University has completed its new 165,000-sf Science Center. The four-story, $30-million facility features a full-height atrium and biology research and teaching labs for faculty and graduate students. The center also houses space for chemistry, mathematics, the Environmental Toxicology Ph.D. Program, and the NASA Research Center for Biotechnology and Environmental Health. Texas Southern is also constructing a $15-million, 82,000-sf Public Affairs, Liberal Arts, and Behavioral Sciences building.

Intuit Inc. is constructing its new $146-million regional headquarters in San Diego. The site of the 465,000-sf campus was determined by calculating employee commute times to select a central location. Upon completion, the four-building project will house office space, a 492,000-sf parking structure, and a 15,000-sf fitness center. The project team includes: Architects Hanna Gabriel Wells; Reno Contracting as general contractor; Hope Engineering, structural; M.A.

Wayne State University has completed the $20-million renovation of the Gordon Scott Hall of Basic Sciences in Detroit, Mich. As the building is the main facility for the School of Medicine's teaching, research, and administrative functions, the project included the renovation of approximately 40,000 sf of space on the building's third floor, converting it to a research laboratory, specialized lab support, and office and classroom spaces for the Center for Molecular Medicine & Genetics and the Department of Pharmacology.

The University of Arizona expanded its Tucson campus with the completion of three new research and laboratory facilities in 2006. All three were designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership of Portland, Ore. The $46.1-million, 85,000-sf Chemistry Building will consolidate chemistry teaching and research programs and is slated for completion in late spring of 2006. The project construction manager is Hensel Phelps Construction Co. The $65.7-million Thomas W.

The Hormel Institute, an independent research unit of the University of Minnesota, broke ground in August 2006 on a $20-million expansion of its Austin, Minn., facilities.