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.

Wills Eye Hospital, the nation's only free-standing eye hospital, opened its new bed-free, 125,000-sf outpatient hospital on July 1. The new $47-million medical center, located on top of the Walnut Towers in Center City, will offer advanced ophthalmology care and ambulatory surgery. The hospital will also house physician offices and research and education programs including a 200-seat auditorium.

Targacept, an R&D product development spin-off from R.J. Reynolds, has moved into its new 44,000-sf headquarters and research facility in Winston-Salem. Located in the Piedmont Triad Research Park, the new building will enable Targacept’s employee base to increase from its current 56 to 78 by year-end.