Industry News

SAP America Inc., in the midst of a $100 million, two-building construction project to serve as its North American headquarters, has purchased an additional 150 acres surrounding the campus. The software manufacturer completed its first three-story, 450,000-sf building in summer 1999, which houses approximately 1,000 employees. A start date for the second building has not yet been set, and it is uncertain how acquisition of the acreage will affect building plans.

Quintiles Transnational is building a new $3.4 million, 103,000-sf facility, Bradford Place, to consolidate its ten Research Triangle Park offices in one location. Construction began in July 1999 and is scheduled for completion in June 2000. Architects for the project are WGM Design Inc., based in Charlotte, N.C., and Bell/Knott Associates, based in Kansas City, Kan. The general contractor is the Raleigh, N.C., office of Shelco Inc., headquartered in Charlotte.

EDS, based in Plano, Texas, is planning to build a 200,000-sf facility at Washingtonian South in Gaithersburg. The giant computer company would also take an option on an additional 100,000 sf of space. Developer of the site is Peterson Cos. of Fairfax, Va.

EarthStation Netaxs, currently housed in 4,000 sf at Lee Park in Conshohocken, is relocating to a 33,000-sf structure at the Park with an option on an additional adjacent 33,000 sf. The ISP houses and monitors its clients' server computers that access the Internet. Special features at the new site include closed-circuit TV, site cams enabling clients to view their servers, and a sleeping area for employees staffing the data center 24 hours a day.

Tellabs Inc., a telecommunications company based in Lysle, Ill., has plans for a 270,000-sf two-building build-to-suit office complex where it will house as many as 1,000 employees.The first building in Chelmsford is scheduled for completion by July 2001. Boston Properties Inc. is the developer.