Industry News

BioMarin Pharmaceuticals will occupy 75,000 sf in two buildings at the Bel Marin Keys Park in Novato, Calif. BioMarin Pharmaceuticals already occupies five research and warehouse facilities at the park totalling approximately 158,000 sf.

EXP Pharmaceutical Services has leased 106,100 sf in Cal West Industrial Holdings’ Warm Springs Park in Fremont, Calif. The space includes over 90,000 sf of space for R&D and 15,000 sf for offices.    

The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP) of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health System (UPMC) is relocating to the campus of the former St. Francis Medical Center in the Lawrenceville area of Pittsburgh, Pa. This $575 million replacement hospital will house approximately 900,000-sf of clinical, procedure, treatment, support, and research space. Occupancy of the Lawrenceville hospital is expected in late spring of 2009.

Toyota Manufacturing Alabama will initiate a $20-million expansion of its Huntsville, Ala., engine plant. The facility is currently at 400,000 sf. The expansion will enable Toyota to manufacture 130,000 more V6 Tacoma and Tundra Pickup engines annually, bringing total production capacity up to 250,000 engines per year.

The University of Florida has recently completed a modular research complex of BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratory space. Buildings for Science, a division of Britz-Heidbrink, completed the design, production, and installation of this world-class research facility in less than one year. The complex has its own mechanical room area, an office-break area, a unisex bathroom/change area, a pass-through shower into the BSL-3 lab with accommodating locker space, and two separate procedure areas.