Higher Education

The University of Akron broke ground on the $13.2 million National Polymer Innovation Center in September of 2009 in Akron, Ohio. The 42,750-sf facility will house ten technology-rich laboratories and high bay space for the development of advanced materials. The National Polymer Innovation Center will enable faculty, students, and industry partners to engage in biomaterials synthesis, biosensors and biodevices design, and photovoltaic and membrane fabrication. Completion is expected in June of 2010.

The University of California, San Diego broke ground on two laboratory facilities at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla in September of 2009. Supported by over $100 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the 120,000-sf National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Southwest Fisheries Science Center is expected to reach completion in 2011. Additionally, construction will begin in early 2011 on a $26 million research facility for marine ecosystem forecasting.

The University of Limerick will begin construction in fall of 2009 on a €16 million medical School in Limerick, Ireland. The 4,091-sm facility will house classrooms, lecture halls, and laboratories for physician training. Completion is slated for September of 2010. The general contractor for the project is P.E. Elliot & Company.

The University of Georgia dedicated the $44 million Pharmacy South facility in Athens in September of 2009. The 93,288-sf building represents an expansion of the College of Pharmacy and houses large teaching auditoriums, technology-rich classrooms, two research labs, a student learning center, sterile products rooms, two pharmacies, and a conference room. Ground was broken on the project in November of 2007. The facility attained LEED Silver certification for sustainable design.

The University of British Columbia is planning to construct a $133.3 million pharmaceutical sciences building in Vancouver, Canada. The 18,382-sm facility will house classrooms, research laboratories, and the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD). LEED Gold certification for sustainable design will be sought for the project. Occupancy is slated for 2010.

The University of Manchester will begin construction in May of 2010 on the £30 million School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science. Housing teaching laboratories and research facilities for postgraduates and undergraduates, the project will be built in two phases. The first phase of construction is expected to reach completion in summer of 2011.

Northwest Missouri State University opened its new 46,000-sf science building in Maryville, Mo., in September of 2009. The $24 million Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship houses $3 million in advanced laboratory instrumentation. Comprised of two wings, the mixed-use facility accommodates instructional space as well as industry tenants. Construction began on the project, which will support Northwest's nanoscience degree program, in 2005.

Brock University broke ground in September of 2009 on the $111 million Niagara Health and Bioscience Research Complex in St. Catherines, Ontario. The 169,000-sf project will house Canada's only research-dedicated CL3 biocontainment facility. Designed by architectsAlliance in association with Payette, the complex is being built by EllisDon with Crossey Engineering as electrical and mechanical consultant, MHPM as project manager, and Halsall Associates as LEED consultant.

The University of Windsor will break ground in fall of 2009 on the $112 million Centre for Engineering Innovation in Windsor, Ontario. Funded by $40 million from the federal government and $40 million from the provincial government, the 300,000-sf facility will be built in two phases. The first phase is comprised of research laboratories and an industrial courtyard and is slated for completion by March of 2011. The second phase includes classrooms, offices, and research facilities and will reach completion in summer of 2012.

The University of Minnesota is constructing the $70 million Science Teaching and Student Services Center (STSSC) in Minneapolis. The five-story, 120,000-sf facility was designed by HGA and Kohn Pederson Fox and is slated for occupancy in fall of 2010. Featuring classrooms with central teacher instruction stations and multimedia displays, the STSSC will also house meeting rooms, offices, and student services. LEED Gold sustainable design certification will be sought for the facility. Construction began on the building in January of 2009.

Michigan State University opened its $2 million large animal MRI suite in East Lansing in August of 2009. Supporting research for the College of Veterinary Medicine, the facility provides diagnostic imaging for animals such as horses and cattle. Construction began on the project in January of 2009.

New York Law School opened its $145 million Academic Center in New York City in September of 2009. Designed by SmithGroup and BKSK Architects with Pavarini McGovern as general contractor, the 200,000-sf facility includes five stories above ground with four stories below grade. The center houses an auditorium, a library, lecture halls, classrooms, meeting rooms, and research and practice areas. Construction began on the facility in 2006.

Middlesex University will initiate construction in fall of 2009 on an £80 million art, design, and media building in London. Slated for occupancy in 2011, the 15,460-sm facility will feature specialized instructional spaces, seminar rooms, and studios for art, design, and television.

The University of Kansas is constructing the $45.5 million School of Pharmacy in Lawrence. The 110,000-sf facility is being built by J.E. Dunn Construction Co. and is slated for completion in fall of 2010. The facility will enable the university to enroll 150 new students annually to address the statewide shortage of pharmacists. 

The University of Texas at Austin is constructing the $175 million Norman Hackerman Research Building. Slated for completion by year-end 2010, the research and teaching complex will accommodate the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the Institute of Neuroscience, and the School of Biological Science. The Hackerman Research Building will include seven organic chemistry teaching labs, 14 organic chemistry research labs, neurobiology labs, and core facilities for electron microscopy, NMR, and fMRI (functional magnetic resonance).