Industry News

Howard County General Hospital is opening its new expanded emergency department in early July. The Columbia hospital’s new unit is three times as large as the previous emergency department, and is divided into three specific care levels: a pediatric care pod, an urgent care pod, and an acute care pod. The new emergency department will accommodate 70,000 patients annually.

INOVA Health Systems has selected the Washington, D.C. office of Turner Construction Company to construct the new INOVA Heart Institute in Falls Church. The $60-million project is scheduled for completion in January 2004. The architect is Wilmot/Sanz of Gaithersburg, Md.

The University of San Diego will consolidate the departments of biology, chemistry, physics, and marine sciences in its new 150,000-sf Donald Pearce Shiley Center for Science and Technology.  Housing a greenhouse, an astronomy deck, an aviary, aquariums, and 73 labs, the $46-million facility was funded in part by a $10-million gift from Donald and Darlene Shiley. The Center is currently under construction and is slated for completion in fall of 2003. Laboratory planner for the project is Research Facilities Design of San Diego.

North Carolina State University Veterinary School worked with Flad & Associates recently to complete its master plan. Flad is now working on the construction document phase for a new 100,000-sf cell biology wet lab for the school.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has selected The Orr Co. of Falls Church as development manager for its expansion in the Virginia Square neighborhood of Arlington. The expansion includes a 372,000-sf, two-tower office building and housing accommodations for 1,100 employees and contractors.