Industry News

Houston-based Tractebel North America will build a $300-million, 800-megawatt power generating system in Ennis, Texas. The plant is the third in north Texas for Tractebel and the second of its kind in Ennis. Tractebel is the energy division of French-based global energy services conglomerate Suez Group. 

George Washington University is using $5-million in federal funds to create READI, the Response to Emergencies and Disasters Institute on its satellite campus in Loudoun County. The institute will train between 10,000 and 20,000 first responders annually, teaching firefighters, emergency management personnel, health care providers and law enforcement officers to respond in the event of a terrorist attack. Occupying up to half of the 100,000-sf former Psinet building, the center is expected to be operational in summer of 2003.

University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and research firm The Institute for Genomics Research  recently completed the creation of MdBioLab, a mobile bioscience lab designed for education at Maryland high schools. The facility contains lab and communications equipment and databases.

John F. Kennedy University is acquiring the 100,000-sf former Bank of America complex in Pleasant Hill, Calif., for its permanent campus location. The facility will house classrooms, administrative offices, and libraries for the university's five schools. The private accredited university plans to move to the new site in January 2004 and will continue to operate its Berkeley and Campbell campuses.

The University of California San Francisco will house its department of radiology in 50,000 sf of leased space at China Basin Landing near Mission Bay in San Francisco. The facility will include an imaging center as well as research and office space. UCSF is also planning to develop a $100-million cancer research facility on the 43-acre Mission Bay campus.