Industry News

Qwest Communications International Inc. expected to begin construction in December 2000 on a 157,000-sf data center at the Met Center business park near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Completion of the shell is anticipated in summer 2001, at which point Qwest will finish out the facility for occupancy in late 2001.

WorldCom has completed Phase II construction at its two-story switch facility in Charlton, providing an additional 24,000 sf of technical space. The work was carried out by Boston-based Tishman Construction Corp. of Massachusetts; design/build services were performed by its affiliate, Tishman Technologies Corp.

The Technology Commercialization Center, a $12-million project of the Illinois Medical District Commission, has been awarded to Knight Advanced Technology, the architecture/engineering subsidiary of Lester B. Knight & Associates. The 62,000-sf Center is envisioned as a “graduate” laboratory facility for biotechnology and other technology-based start-up companies that have outgrown an incubator laboratory setting. The project will be built at Chicago Technology Park.

Public Square Tech Center--a one million-sf high tech redevelopment project under way in Cleveland at the site of the historic May Company Building--will become a cutting-edge mixed-use center that will include technology uses, office, retail, and parking. The building offers over 100 watts per sf of power, multiple fiber providers, heavy floor loads (up to 170 pounds per sf), and high ceilings. Potential tenants include web hosting firms, switch facilities, and data centers.

GiantLoop Network has hired Peabody Construction of Boston to renovate an 89,000 sf facility in Waltham, MA. Technological upgrades are included in the project cost of $2 million.