Industry News

Sprint's new 4,000,000-sf, 22-building corporate campus for 14,400 Sprint employees is under construction. It is the largest office building in the U.S., according to the designer, The Hillier Group Architects, of Princeton, N.J. Completion is anticipated in 2002.

APPA is in the process of putting together a manual for: "Grounds Staffing and Maintenance Guidelines."

Subject Areas that are have already been chosen to be covered in the manual are:

OSHA proposes new ergonomics standards. Under this new proposal about 1/3 of the general industry worksites will be affected and over 27 million employees covered. The proposal currently identifies several elements for a full implementation of an ergonomics program:

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board has finalized to new accessibility guidelines. These new advisory guidelines will assist the Department of Transportation and the Department of Justice in establishing new accessibility standards for: 1) Judicial, Legislative, and Regulatory Facilities; 2) Detention and Correctional Facilities; 3) Accessible Residential Housing; and 4) Public Rights-of-Way. For additional information visit http://www.access-board.gov/rules/title2.htm or call (800) 872- 2253 ext. 27.

Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., based in White Plains, N.Y., is planning a $40-million office project on a 2.45-acre site at Contra Costa Centre in Walnut Creek. A seven-story, 195,000-sf office structure is envisioned for the property, including 15,000 sf of retail space and a parking structure for 567 cars. Developer of the site will be Thomas Properties of Walnut Creek, owner of the business park.