Industry News

Britain-based Slough Estates USA is planning to develop the Britannia East Grand in South San Francisco, a 783,533-sf biotech facility designed by South San Francisco-based DES and to be built by Hathaway Dinwiddie.  Pending final approval in April 2002, the $300 million project involves replacing the 100-year-old ICI paint factory with a leading-edge biotech laboratory. Slated to break ground mid-year, the project would bring Slough's South San Francisco holdings to over 2.7 million sf.

Chiron is proceeding with the development of 300,000 sf in Emeryville, scheduled to break ground in July 2002. The new lab space is part of a 20-year city-approved plan including a 2.2 million-sf growth margin for the diagnostic testing, vaccine and drug development firm.

Vanguard Group has completed construction of three 120,000-sf buildings on a 300-acre site in Malvern. The mutual fund giant is also initiating premliminary work on a 250-acre, 2.5 million-sf campus which may enter the first phase of construction in spring of 2002. The multiphase project would begin with the development of two 320,000-sf facilities on 70 acres.  

Peoplesoft has proposed expanding its Pleasanton operations with a new 181,000-sf office facility adjacent to its existing 815,000-sf complex in the Hacienda Business Park. Housing 800 employees, the project is slated for completion in fall of 2003 . The $30-million, five-story building is part of Peoplesofts' approved 534,000-sf expansion plan which will total 1.4 million sf upon completion.  Peoplesoft hopes to consolidate other leased space and relocate employees to its headquarters which currently houses 2,300 workers.

Allstate Corp. of Northbrook, Ill., will lease 50,030 sf of the new Two Twin Oaks facility planned by real estate developer Koontz McCombs LLC. Located in the Twin Oaks Office Park in North Central San Antonio, the 70,000-sf building will contain 67,000 nsf of rental space.