Industry News

California State University Hayward has joined with Geographic Network Affiliates International in a public-private partnership for the construction of an Internet switching center on six acres at the Hayward campus. Phase one of construction may be begin as early as April 2001 on a 180,000-sf facility to house network equipment and servers, with completion in fall.

City University of New York  has selected Philadelphia-based ARAMARK to commission Baruch College's new Academic Complex in Manhattan. The vertical campus consolidates more than half of the college's programs and spaces into one new high-tech facility. The $300 million, 785,000-gsf complex will rise 14 stories above groundextend three levels below, and will house 98 classrooms, 39 computer labs, more than 500 private offices, and 13 elevators within 416,000 nsf.

Georgia State University opened a biotechnology R&D center called CollabTech in November 2000. The incubator, funded partially by the Georgia Research Alliance and with support from the Advanced Technology Development Center, is aimed at providing access to the most advanced equipment for biotechnology start-ups, as well as enabling the university and its students to participate in cutting-edge research and discoveries. The University of Georgia plans to open an agricultural biology research center, called AgTech, in March 2001.

St. John's College has awarded Bovis Lend Lease of Washington, D.C., a contract for construction management as the college renovates both Mellon Hall and the Francis Scott Key Auditorium. Construction is scheduled to start in spring 2001.

The Naval & Maritime Integrated Systems Expeditionary Warfare Center is remodeling a 240,000-sf facility to house the operations of Raytheon Co. Approximately 30,000 sf of lab space in the building will be dedicated to the development, integration, and testing of the company's military electronics.