Industry News

Biosquare, a $650-million biotech development, is under construction in Boston. Boston University and Boston University Medical Center are the developers of the project, which is being built in two phases. Phase one  encompasses 1.2 million sf of space including 60,000 sf of space for animal testing, an in-house incinerator, and a 1,000-car parking garage. Phase one is nearing completion. Phase two will provide 1.3 million additional sf of space for labs and offices, a 240-room hotel, and an a 1,200-car parking garage.

The National Institutes of Health Dale and Betty Bumpers Vaccine Research Center, which broke ground in February 1999, opened in late August 2000. Spaulding & Slye was the developer of the fast-track $32-million, 82,500-sf facility, where researchers in immunology, virology, and HIV will work together toward developing an AIDs vaccine by 2007. The 10-story structure features laboratories, a high-tech education and conference center, cyber café, support spaces, and offices for principal investigators. For flexibility, an open lab plan with 11’ x 13’ space planning modules was chosen.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently awarded a $174-million construction contract for the Advanced Measurement Laboratory. The prime contractor is Clark/Gilford, a joint venture between The Clark Construction Group of Bethesda, Md., and Gilford Corporation of Beltsville, Md. HDR Architecture of Alexandria, Va., designed the 511,040-sf facility; completion is scheduled for 2004.

Sigma-Aldrich Corp. recently broke ground for its new fast-track $57-million Life Science Technology Center in downtown St. Louis. The project includes construction of a 133,000-sf lab building with three stories above grade and one below grade. Lab and office space will surround a three-story atrium in the center of the building. In addition, an attached one-story, 12,000-sf learning center with auditorium will be constructed.

Alpha Therapeutics Corporation has awarded a contract to Ware & Malcomb Architects of Woodland Hills, Calif., for the design of the tenant improvement methods validation development laboratory expansion. The project includes the design and build out of a full new methods development lab space located within the company’s Quality Control facility. Construction of the project will complete the company’s latest development of existing methods validation development facilities for their various pharmaceutical biological products.