Industry News

The University of Arizona in Tucson is engaged in a $46.1-million expansion of its Chemistry building. Housing additional research labs and office space for the Department of Chemistry, the facility is slated for occupancy in May 2006. The project was designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership and is being built by Hensel Phelps Construction .

The University of Alabama at Birmingham is engaged in the fit-out of 22,631 sf of chemistry space. Housing two organic chemistry labs, two general chemistry labs, one physical chemistry lab, and one biological chemistry lab, the facility will also include a classroom and an NMR room. The architect for the $3.6-million project is DesignForm with Brasfield & Gorrie as general contractor. The electrical engineer is Hyde Engineering with Davis Dumas & Associates as mechanical engineer.

Fluor Corp. has selected Dallas-based Koll Development Co. to construct its new 120,000-sf international headquarters in Las Colinas, Texas. Sited on 26 acres, the facility will accommodate operations relocated from Orange County, Calif. The new headquarters will also feature an auditorium, a fitness center, and a cafeteria. The project will break ground in July 2005 with completion slated for early 2006.

Celanese Corp. is relocating its global headquarters to Farmers Branch, Texas from Frankfurt, Germany. The industrial chemicals company has leased an additional 30,000 sf of office space for 12 years at its existing 185,000-sf Dallas-area site. The expansion, slated for completion by December 2005, will accommodate up to 100 relocated positions, as well as headquarters operations for the company's acetate division, previously located in South Carolina.

Walnut Creek, Calif.-based Longs Drug Stores will invest $50 to $55 million in a new distribution center in Patterson, Calif. The 800,000-sf Stanislaus County warehouse will become operational by 2006 and will eventually replace Long's 427,000-sf facility in Lathrop, Calif.