Industry News

The U.S. Postal Service has selected general contractor J.E. Dunn Construction to build its new $167-million distribution center sited on 50 acres in southwest Philadelphia. Replacing the city’s main post office, the 937,000-sf Philadelphia Processing and Distribution Center broke ground on August 11, 2003 and is slated for completion in November 2005. The project architect is Kling of Philadelphia. J.E. Dunn’s joint venture partner on the project is Intech Construction of Philadelphia.

The University of Pittsburgh is developing a regional biocontainment laboratory with $18-million in funding from the National Institutes of Heath’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The laboratory, one of nine regional biocontainment labs funded by NIH, will be sited in the Biomedical Science Tower 3 in Oakland, Pa. Additionally, a bioterrorism research center established by Johns Hopkins University will move most of its operations to Oakland in fall of 2003 to become the Center for Biosecurity of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston is creating one of the first national biocontainment laboratories with a $120 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. The University will contribute the remaining $40 million to build the $160-million, 170,000-sf project. The laboratory will house flexible, high-level biocontainment facilities, clinical facilities, and research support space.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center will build a Regional Biocontainment Laboratory in Memphis, Tenn. Funded by $5 million from the University and a $14 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, the facility will accommodate research on bioterrorism and biotechnology and will be located adjacent to UT’s existing vivarium.

Denver Health’s new $45.9 million expansion opened in June of 2003. The four-story, 143,000-sf wing brought intensive care unit bed space from eleven beds separated by curtains to 24 private rooms.  A secure 21-bed correctional inpatient and outpatient facility is located in the basement, with security cameras and doors and guard stations. The wing also houses 52 medical/surgical private rooms and space for orthopedic services. Gerald H. Phipps Construction was the general contractor for the project, which began in September 2001.