Industry News

Sanford manufacturer MeikleEMS is building a 25,000-sf facility in Sanford for the production of automated assembly and test systems. The new building will allow the company to triple its existing workforce. MeikleEMS is a division of Meikle Automation of Kitchener, Canada, created after the acquisition of Electro-Mechanical Specialties of Sanford in spring 2002.

Johnston Memorial Hospital is redeveloping a former Burlington Industries textile mill in Smithfield as a medical mall. Sited on 15 acres adjacent to the hospital, the 240,000-sf property will feature a 27,000-sf wellness center with two indoor pools and a cyber-cafe. The $13.5-million project will also include physician offices and an auditorium. The original building was constructed in approximately 1912.

A.C. Moore Arts and Crafts is planning to build a 700,000-sf headquarters and distribution facility in Winslow Township, Pa. The building will consolidate operations from the retailer's 250,000-sf former headquarters in the Blackwood area of Gloucester Township and 300,000 sf in Barrington. The facility will include 30,000- f of office space.

Altana AG, a Konstanz, Germany-based drug maker, opened its 25,000-sf Waltham, Mass., research offices in late January 2003. Part of a collaboration with Munich-based GPC Biotech, Altana has committed $120 million to develop its U.S. Genomics Research Institute in subleased space in GPC's 85,000-sf Waltham facility.

Federal IT and security contractor NCI Information Systems has relocated its corporate headquarters from Tysons Corner to Reston, Va. The company leased 76,716 sf of office space at Plaza America, a 1.2 million-sf development that is nearly 50% leased by government-related tenants. NCI relocated to accommodate growth and increase customer and employee convenience.