Industry News

The Brooks City-Base conversion project in San Antonio is progressing with the lease of over 26,000-sf by Earth Tech, a global provider of environmental services as well as engineering, architectural, construction, and infrastructure development. Earth Tech, a subsidiary of Tyco International Ltd., will occupy the building that formerly housed the Base Exchange in September of 2003. Earth Tech was recently selected by the Environmental Protection Agency to handle environmental response and remediation work for Region 6, which covers Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas.

FedEx Corp. is planning to build a 400,000-sf distribution facility on 75 acres of undeveloped land recently purchased in Atlanta. The facility will serve FedEx's ground package delivery unit. Fed Ex may eventually build an 800,000-sf facility at the site.

Medical products supplier C.R. Bard has selected Pattillo Construction Co. to develop its new 411,100-sf distribution center in Covington, Ga. The building will be sited in the Lochridge Industrial Park on 38 acres of land. Completion is expected in November 2003.

Houston-based Omega Protein Corp. is constructing a 60,000-sf fish oil processing facility in Reedville, Va. Built by Suitt Construction of Greenville, S.C., the $16-million project will produce more than 110 tons daily of proteins derived from fish oils. A separate mechanical building will house boilers, air compressors, cooling towers, chilled water equipment, and wastewater pretreatment. The facility is expected to reach completion in May 2004.

The University of Maryland-Baltimore’s planned Biomedical Research Park in West Baltimore has received $4 million to assist startup companies from the state’s Sunny Day Fund. The funding will enable young companies to make needed office and lab improvements.