Industry News

The Pennsylvania State University has selected Gilbane Building Company as program/construction manager for preconstruction services for five buildings on the State College campus. The new complex includes the Mary Jean and Frank P. Smeal College of Business Administration (210,000 sf); two new buildings for the College of Agricultural Sciences: the food science department (112,000 sf) and the School of Forest Resources (84,000 sf); a 1,200-car parking deck; and a 3,000-ton chiller.

Genteric has relocated within Alameda to a new 32,000-sf facility, more than doubling its space for corporate operations, as well as research space for its gene transfer technology platforms. Construction on the new building, designed by Ware Malcom and builtout by DPR Construction, began in October 2001 and features research and development labs and provides room for future expansion for the biotechnology company.

The Harvard Institutes of Medicine in collaboration with Lyme Properties LLC is proposing the construction of the Blackfan Research Center—a  400,000-sf biomedical research facility for academic research institutions in Boston’s Longwood Medical Area. The 18-story structure would accommodate 280,000 sf of lab space for research and 120,000 sf of office space, and provide below-ground parking for 300 vehicles. Pending permit approvals by the end of 2002, Lyme hopes to begin construction by mid-2003, with completion in 2005.

The University of Kentucky has selected Gilman Building Co. of Columbus, Ohio, as construction manager for its new $67.2-million, 185,000-sf Biomedical/Biological Sciences Research Building. The new building, with four floors of research space and a basement, will serve as a facility for collaboration in research and graduate education in biological chemistry, genetics, molecular biology, neuroscience, vaccine development, host resistance, and related fields.

Sun Microsystems has selected Bottom Duvivier of Redwood City, Calif., to design a 110,000-sf shared work environment at Foundry Square in San Francisco, a project under development by Wilson Equity Office. The facility will house 400 to 500 employees doing research and development, with some employees working from home. At the center, desks and computers can be reserved for given time periods; and lockers are provided. Tenant improvements are scheduled to begin in September 2002, with completion in five months.