Industry News

The San Mateo County Forensics Laboratory and Coroner's Office in San Mateo, California, is included on the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment 2003 list of "Top 10 Green Projects" which recognizes architectural design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. Designed by the San Francisco office of Hellmut, Obata + Kassabaum, the $12-million, 29,000-sf facility is a "living lab" for sustainability.

The University of California San Diego has selected general contractor Taylor Frager to build the Elliott Field Structures Lab. The $2-million earthquake simulation facility was designed by Hodges & Hodges Architecture.

The Oakland City Council has selected developer Lennar Swinerton Group to construct a new Oakland Police Station. The current police facility will be demolished and replaced by the $160-million project, which includes 250,000-sf of police operations and office space, a 48,000-sf crime lab, an 18,200-sf property and evidence facility, and parking accommodating 900 cars. Lennar Swinerton Group is a joint venture between Lennar Partners, Swinerton Builders, and Hunter Group.

S.C. Johnson & Son, a privately held Wisconsin company, has selected contractor Simmons Vedder & Co. of Austin, Texas, to build a 500,000-sf distribution warehouse in Atlanta. The $14-million S.C. Johnson Wax facility will be the second warehouse built by Simmons Vedder for the company; the first was a 400,700-sf distribution hub located at SouthCreek Distribution Center 1 in South Fulton. S.C. Johnson makes products including Drano, Windex, Raid, and Ziploc bags.

Unisys, a worldwide IT services and solutions company, will occupy 280,000 sf of office space at Plaza America III. Located adjacent to Reston Town Center, the facility is part of the 1.2 million-sf Plaza America mixed-use development. The lease is part of Unisys’ 420,000-sf, $250-million expansion as it consolidates its federal government and global public sector divisions.