Corporate

Fexco opened a $23 million R&D center in January of 2020 in Killorglin, Ireland. Supported by $3.9 million in funding from Enterprise Ireland, the project involved the redevelopment of a former manufacturing site to create a collaborative nexus for entrepreneurship and economic development. The 57,000-sf building strategically collocates the company's 37,000-sf Research Development and Innovation Centre with the not-for-profit RDI Hub, a 20,000-sf facility enabling the establishment and scale-up of startup companies.

VEGA, a global manufacturer of process measurement technologies, will begin construction in early 2020 on a $50 million headquarters complex in Mason, Ohio. Sited on 50 acres, the 230,000-sf campus will include advanced manufacturing and production facilities, corporate offices, and a state-of-the-art business and training center. The project team includes BHDP Architecture and construction manager Messer Construction. Occupancy is expected in 2021.

Foghorn Therapeutics broke ground in January of 2020 on its 60,000-sf headquarters in Cambridge, Mass. Located in Kendall Square, the facility will provide chemistry and biology labs, open offices, conference rooms, huddle rooms, and an employee café. Foghorn will occupy over three floors in the building, which is owned by Alexandria Real Estate Equities and managed by CBRE.

Aerospace manufacturer Blue Origin opened its new headquarters and research facility in January of 2020 in Kent, Wash. Designed to accommodate approximately 1,500 employees, the 232,885-sf O'Neill Building provides open offices, R&D labs, conference rooms, a staff lounge and kitchen, and an expansive gathering space adjoining the lobby to encourage collaboration and interaction. Supporting the company's recent growth, the structure is sited on over 30 acres adjacent to Blue Origin's former headquarters, which has been renamed the Verne Building.

Hobbs Brook Management is building a 500,000-sf research complex in Waltham, Mass. Designed by Gensler, the four-story development will offer sophisticated laboratories, Class A office space, dining amenities, and a fitness center. Gilbane Building Company is the construction manager for the project and JLL will acting as exclusive leasing agent.

George Mason University is planning to build a digital innovation campus in Arlington, Va. Creating a collaborative hub for research, education, and entrepreneurship, the project includes the demolition of an existing structure and the construction of a 360,500-gsf mixed-use facility and parking garage. Designed by EYP Architecture & Engineering, the $200 million building will house the School of Computing, the Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA), and corporate R&D labs with co-working spaces.

The University of California, Davis has selected Wexford Science + Technology and GMH Capital Partners to develop the first phase of Aggie Square in Sacramento. The two firms will finance, design, construct, and own the facilities, which will include 250,000 sf of classroom and co-working space, 500,000 sf of engineering, science, and technology space, 30,000 sf of ground-floor public space, and approximately 200 housing units.

Unilever opened the Foods Innovation Centre in December of 2019. Located on the campus of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, the $94 million Hive facility offers collaborative research and development facilities for the creation of sustainable food products. Designed by Paul de Ruiter Architects, the 439,706-sf innovation hub provides laboratories, an expansive atrium, a pilot plant, an innovation kitchen, an auditorium, a food bar, a retail market, and an underground parking garage.

Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the third quarter of 2019. Key points include:

Apple broke ground in November of 2019 on a $1 billion campus in Austin, Texas. The 133-acre development will provide three million square feet of integrated research, office, and production facilities nestled in abundant green space, which will occupy 60 percent of the site. Powered entirely by renewable energy, the complex will initially house 5,000 employees with full occupancy estimated at 15,000. Occupancy is expected in 2022. The project will include a 50-acre nature and wildlife preserve that will be open to the public. 

Amazon is planning to construct a $40 million robotics innovation hub in Westborough, Mass. The 350,000-sf facility will enable teams of researchers, engineers, and technicians to design, build, program, and test robots, including self-driving units for order fulfillment and warehouse management. The project will house R&D labs, manufacturing space, corporate offices, and a distribution center. Completion is expected in 2021.

RSP Developers is creating the e-novation Centre in Gurugram. The one million-sf campus is the first privately-owned R&D innovation hub in India and offers leasable office, research, training, and accelerator space for technology companies, academic institutions, and corporations. Sited on 12 acres, the LEED-Gold complex features advanced infrastructure for water recycling, renewable energy, and sustainable waste management for complete self-sufficiency.

Foxconn Industrial Internet will begin construction in fall of 2019 on the 261,600-sf Smart Manufacturing Center in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Accommodating up to 500 employees at full capacity, the facility will support the production of components for computer server racks with integrated manufacturing space, warehouse areas, and a 40,000-sf office mezzanine. The Smart Manufacturing Center was designed by Eppstein Uhen Architects and will be built by Mortenson Construction. Completion is expected by summer of 2020.

Ford Motor Company is planning a comprehensive redevelopment of its research campus in Dearborn, Mich. Designed by Snøhetta to promote collaboration and innovation, the master plan for the Research & Engineering Center will create an integrated network of empowered workplaces, state-of-the-art labs, advanced production facilities, and inspiring meeting spaces. By significantly increasing building density, Ford will be able accommodate over 20,000 employees at the site and consolidate other Michigan locations.

DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners and Leggat McCall Properties are building a Class-A laboratory building in Somerville, Mass. The nine-story, 289,000-sf facility will provide leading-edge research and office space for life sciences and technology companies. The mixed-use development will include dedicated retail space on the ground floor and four levels of underground parking.