Industry News

Oakwood Research Facility, a breeder of pathogen-free rabbits for medical research, received approval in July of 2007 to construct a rabbit facility in Attica Township, Michigan. The planned facility will be comprised of three 8,000-sf pathogen-free barns. Oakwood Research provides rabbits to the Indiana-based lab animal distributor Harlan Sprague Dawley, whose clients include the University of Michigan Ann Arbor Medical School, Michigan State University, The Cleveland Clinic, and Duke University.

The University of Texas at El Paso will build a $60 million health sciences complex to replace its existing College of Health Sciences and School of Nursing. The project, to be located on or contiguous to the main UTEP campus, was approved by the UT System Board of Regents in late August of 2007. The facility will promote research, clinical, and training partnerships with Texas Tech University.

Pfizer broke ground in late summer of 2007 on a $50 million expansion of the JJ Building in Chesterfield, Mo. The project will add 50,000 sf to the existing 60,000-sf facility to support increased production of biologic compounds. Completion is slated for late 2009. Pfizer is also constructing the 330,000-sf, $200 million New Research Building, a drug development facility, at the Chesterfield campus. Completion is expected in late 2008.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo is initiating three major construction projects totaling $33 million. Ground was broken in late summer of 2007 on the 48,000-sf, $18 million Coulter Research Building for biomedical and translational research. The School of Pharmacy will undergo an $8 million, 23,000-sf expansion to house administration, academic space, two 120-seat instructional classrooms, a 26-station instructional laboratory, and a patient simulation center for teaching and assessment. Construction will begin in early 2008.

Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is planning to invest $1 billion over the next 15 years to expand its facilities. At the Longwood Medical Area campus, over 550,000 sf of patient care space will be added, including operating rooms, clinical space, and 130 beds. A new suburban ambulatory care center will also be constructed. Estimated at between 100,000 sf and 150,000 sf, the facility will include primary and specialist care, ambulatory surgery, and radiology.