Industry News

Ground was broken on the new 60,000-sf City Museum at Carnegie Library, a museum dedicated to chronicling the history of the District of Columbia. Designed by architects Devrouax & Purnell of Washington, the museum is scheduled to open in spring of 2003. Also on the project team is New York-based RKK&G Museum and Cultural Facilities Consultants, working with GSM Design of Montreal to create the museum's exhibits.

Host Marriott has contracted architect OP-X of Washington to design its newly leased 67,000-sf office at Two Democracy Center in Bethesda. Host, a hotel real estate investment trust, plans to relocate its 250 employees in August 2002.

The University of the Incarnate Word is expanding with a new building providing student housing, conference facilities, a bookstore and a parking garage. The first phase of the 150,000-sf facility is being funded by a $9 million bond issue and is currently under contract.

Northwest Vista College is planning a new 30,000-sf Advanced Technology Center to house the college's Corporate and Community Development Department. The two-story facility will also house academic functions, providing a biotechnology lab, 5 computer labs and 8 classrooms.

Cypress Semiconductor plans to install a $2.1-million, 335-kW solar power array at its new administrative facility in San Jose, providing about 12 percent of Cypress’ energy. The three-story building is scheduled to open in January 2002, and the solar energy system installed by PowerLight Corp. of Berkeley, Calif., is expected to pay for itself in seven years. The system can be retrofitted as technology improves, and is expected to last 25-30 years.