Industry News

EMD Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. subsidiary of Darmstadt, Germany-based Merck KGaA, will construct a $300-million biomanufacturing plant in Jena, Germany. The 200,000-sf facility will manufacture cancer drugs.

FlightSafety Boeing Training International will construct a $60-million aviation training center in Atlanta. The 52,000-sf facility is expected to begin operations in January 2004 and will house six full-flight simulators and associated training activities. Employing 50 full-time workers, the center will train up to 7,000 pilots annually. FlightSafety Boeing is soon to be renamed Alteon.

Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta dedicated its new $32-million Cancer Center of Excellence on March 3, 2003. Built using $28.4-million in tobacco lawsuit settlement funds and a $3.3-million gift from the Avon Foundation, the center is the first to open as part of the Georgia Coalition's plan to build a statewide network of accessible cancer care facilities.

Loomis Chaffee School has selected Boston-based William Rawn Associates Architects to design a new performing arts center and 18-classroom building in Windsor, Conn. The final design will be completed by year-end 2003 with construction slated to begin in 2004. The project is part of a $150-million campus initiative focused on theater, music, and dance programs.

Chip maker Actel Corp. is planning to move its corporate headquarters from Sunnyvale to Mountain View in fall 2003. Increasing square footage by over 20,000-sf, the 160,000-sf lease with Equity Office Properties will provide space to hire an additional 80 employees.