Industry News

Growing biotech company Gilead is expanding with the lease of 140,000 sf located next to its 500,000-sf headquarters in Foster City, Calif. Located in Vintage Park, the facility was previously slated as Webvan ’s headquarters. The building will accommodate additional office and research space.

Black & Decker Corp . began construction in July 2004 on a 350,000-sf distribution hub in Charlotte, N.C. Located in the ProLogis Park West Pointe, the site can be expanded to accommodate an additional 102,900 sf. The estimated $10.5 million project will reach completion by the fourth quarter of 2004. Designed by Roswell, Ga.-based Paulsen Architects, the facility will be constructed by InterCon Building Corp. of Charlotte.

Unilin Flooring broke ground in June 2004 on a 600,000-sf manufacturing plant in Thomasville, N.C. The $8 million plant is expected to reach completion by spring 2005 and will employ 330 workers. Unilin Flooring produces Quick-Step laminate flooring.

Hershey Foods has completed a 1.1 million-sf distribution center in Edwardsville, Ill. Located in the Gateway Commerce Center, the facility includes a two-story, 19,000-sf office area. The exterior of the building uses insulated metal panels allowing a 60 degree temperature in the interior, which features a special concrete floor constructed to handle the loads required by Hershey’s storage needs. The project contractor was Korte Co. of  St. Louis.

Owens-Illinois broke ground on a 450,000-sf glass manufacturing plant in Windsor, Colo., in early June 2004. The $119-million plant will manufacture about 1 billion bottles annually for the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Fort Collins.