Industry News

Rosalind Franklin University is building the $50 million Innovation and Research Park in North Chicago, Ill. The four-story, 100,000-sf facility will provide leading-edge research labs, business incubator space, meeting rooms, and common areas. The project will promote collaboration among faculty, industry scientists, and biotech entrepreneurs in order to accelerate the discovery and commercialization of new medical treatments and therapeutics.

Trine University is planning an $8.5 million expansion of Fawick Hall to house the School of Computing in Angola, Ind. Designed by Elevatus Architects, the project will accommodate new and existing programs in computer science, information technology, software engineering, cybersecurity, web development, and health informatics. The facility will provide a virtual reality and artificial intelligence lab, flexible classrooms with moveable walls, an active learning lab with a maker space, collaboration areas, faculty offices, and a café.

Autolus Therapeutics has signed a long-term, full-building lease with Alexandria Real Estate Equities for the construction and development of a build-to-suit facility in Rockville, Md. Located in the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center, the 85,000-sf project will accommodate the company's U.S. headquarters and a commercial-scale manufacturing center for cell therapies. Occupancy is expected in 2021.

Nagasaki University began construction in January of 2019 on a BSL-4 laboratory for the study of infectious diseases and pathogens in Japan. The $68 million biocontainment facility will support basic research to enable the development of innovative diagnosis, treatment, and prevention methods. The project is the first of its kind in the nation, although an existing BSL-4 lab at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Musashimurayama provides inspection and testing services. Research operations will begin at the Nagasaki facility in 2022.

Ohio University will begin construction in summer of 2019 on a $65 million academic facility for the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine in Athens. Designed by Perkins+Will and DesignGroup, the three-story, 120,000-sf building will provide flexible and collaborative learning environments to support team-based medical education programs. The project includes construction of a fourth-floor mechanical penthouse and renovation of an adjacent building to house administrative offices.