Sigma Xi, an international scientific and engineering honor society, is planning to build its $7-million headquarters in Research Triangle Park. The 50,200-sf facility will house a 200-seat auditorium, conference rooms, office space for the society's 44 employees, and a catering kitchen.
Cox Radio is consolidating the operations of its five Jacksonville radio stations into a single 28,000-sf facility in Southside Jacksonville. Construction of the facility is expected to begin in early March 2003 with occupancy slated for September. The project will cost $2-million to build, for a total occupancy cost of approximately $3.4-million.
Lucasfilm Ltd. broke ground in February on a $300-million special effects campus at San Francisco's Presidio, a 490-acre national park and former army base. Located on the site of the demolished Letterman Army hospital, the 850,000-sf Letterman Digital Arts project will eventually accommodate 2,500-workers. The campus is slated for completion in 2005.
Import-export company Pan American Enterprises is relocating operations from Concord, Calif., to 18,200 sf of recently acquired industrial and manufacturing space in Oakland. The two-story facility is sited on 1.49 acres.
Pixar Animation Studios has doubled plans for its Emeryville, Calif., campus to include three new buildings and a two-story parking garage. In addition to its existing 215,000-sf building, each of the new facilities could comprise up to 160,000 sf each. The first building will be sited on an undeveloped portion of Pixar's 14-acre campus. The second building will be constructed on the existing campus parking lot, and the third will replace the former Semifreddi's Baker Building purchased by Pixar, located across the street.
State Farm Insurance is consolidating 66 California claims processing centers down to 20, closing centers in Pleasant Hill, Santa Rosa, Burlingame, San Francisco, Pacific, Marin and Richmond. State Farm will centralize operations in Emeryville, Calif., with the lease of an additional 16,000 sf in EmeryTech, bringing its occupancy in the development up to 60,000 sf through 2009.
GKN Aerospace has completed its $5.7-million corporate headquarters in St. Louis. The $5.7-million phased demolition and renovation project entailed major demo work of 38,000-sf of a former manufacturing structure, creating executive offices, conference centers, new lobby areas and a new entrance. The facility was designed by Fox Architects of St. Louis and built by contractor McCarthy.
The Naval Training Center Foundation will utilize a $300,000 grant from California's Office of Historic Preservation to renovate Building 5 of the Liberty Station base conversion project at the former Point Loma Naval Training Center. Building 5, a 12,658-sf, two-story facility, was constructed in 1923 and is one of 26 historical buildings slated for renovation on the site. The Liberty Station civic, arts and cultural development, housing office, studio, gallery, museum, educational, performance, retail, and restaurant space, is expected to open in 2005.
Construction will begin in March 2003 on the first building of Trammel Crow's planned $300-million Patriot Plaza in Washington, D.C. The first phase, designed to accommodate a government or private tenant, consists of a 280,000-sf office facility pre-engineered to meet stringent security regulations, including the framework to accommodate blast-proof windows, 30-foot setbacks from the curb, a hardened shell, and progressive collapse avoidance.
The Memphis Cook Convention Center is engaged in a $93-million expansion slated for completion in spring 2003. The expanded center will total 250,000 sf and will feature the new 2,100-seat Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. A 35,000-sf exhibit hall and a 28,000-sf ballroom are included in the project. The center was originally constructed in 1974 with 21 meeting rooms, an executive conference center and a 125,000-sf column-free exhibit hall. The recent 80,000-sf expansion includes an additional five meeting rooms.
Sysco Food Services of San Antonio LP, a subsidiary of Sysco Corp. of Houston, broke ground in December 2002 on a 110,000-sf expansion of its 310,000-sf San Antonio warehouse and distribution center. The addition, which will add storage for dry, refrigerated and frozen foods, is slated for completion by October 2003.
The Greater Richmond Convention Center, originally built to 167,000 sf in 1986, is undergoing a $165-million renovation and expansion that will enlarge the facility to almost 700,000 sf. Slated to open in February 2003, the Richmond, Va., center will house 32 meeting rooms totaling 50,000 sf; 180,000 sf of exhibition space; a 258-seat auditorium; a 30,000-sf ballroom; and a 250-seat food court.
APL Logistics has selected Catellus Development Corp. of San Francisco to develop its planned three-building, 992,000-sf warehouse distribution complex in Douglas County, Ga. Slated for completion in 2004, the project could expand up to 1.3-million-sf. Catellus is also developing a 346,000-sf facility for APL in Romeoville, Ill.
The $800-million Washington Convention Center is slated for completion by March 31, 2003. Bethesda's Clark Construction Group is the general contractor for the 2.3-million-sf facility, which will house over 700,000-sf of exhibit hall space in five halls, 77 multifunctional meeting rooms totalling 125,000-sf, and a 52,000-sf, 5,000-seat ballroom.
The former site of the 4,400-acre Fort Devens is being developed by MassDevelopment. The new community features 8.5-million sf of industrial and technology space, 282 residential units, retail, dining, and a hotel.
