Industry News

Kaiser Permanente broke ground on the 436,000-sf San Leandro Medical Center on July 12, 2010. Replacing Kaiser’s existing Hayward facility, the six-story acute care hospital will provide 264 beds, 10 operating rooms, an emergency department, a neonatal ICU, and outpatient care. Completion is expected in 2013.

The Forsyth Institute will renovate 8,935 sf adjacent to its new Kendall Square facility in Boston to create the Center for Discovery at the Host-Biofilm Interface (CHBI). Supported by $3 million in federal stimulus funding, the interdisciplinary project will house oral health research programs in areas including microbiology, molecular genetics, microbial informatics, and immunology.

General Motors broke ground on a $250 million research facility in Shanghai in July of 2010. The 65,000 sm GM China Advanced Technical Center in Pudong New Area will house nine research labs and 62 test labs for the development of advanced propulsion systems, battery cells, lightweight materials, petroleum alternatives, and electrification technologies. Construction is expected to reach completion by year-end 2011.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company broke ground on a $9.3 billion chip production plant in Taiwan in July of 2010. Featuring 104,000 sm of cleanroom space, the facility will be able to manufacture chips at the 28 nanometer scale. The construction cost of the facility is estimated at 15 percent of the project cost, with 85 percent of the $9.3 billion funding equipment.

Duke University will create a biomedical research facility in the Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences in Durham, N.C. Supported by $4.2 million in federal stimulus funding, the project includes conversion of existing shell space to house a vivarium, research laboratories, and offices. Supporting translational research for the development of advanced therapeutics, the facility will provide 2,520 mouse cages, 480 rat cages, and 40 cages for other species.