Industry News

The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is constructing the 93,000-sf Automotive Research Building at SwRI's San Antonio campus. Housing SwRI's 600-employee Automotive Products and Emissions Research Division, the facility will feature state-of-the-art facilities for the division's fleet and field evaluations using full-scale vehicles.

Sigma Xi, an international scientific and engineering honor society, is planning to build its $7-million headquarters in Research Triangle Park. The 50,200-sf facility will house a 200-seat auditorium, conference rooms, office space for the society's 44 employees, and a catering kitchen.

Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. of Bologna, Italy, a manufacturer of racing motorcyles, has relocated its North American headquarters to Cupertino, Calif., from New Jersey. The 12,000-sf facility, desirable in its proximity to the highest-selling Ducati dealerships in the U.S., was previously occupied by Apple Computer.

Kaiser Permanente is working with San Francisco architectural firm Gordon H. Chong & Partners in teamwork with SmithGroup Inc. to develop a standardized template for Kaiser's new hospitals. Establishing models for developing new facilities and renovating existing buildings, the templates will create flexible floorplans and layouts for Kaiser's small, medium, and large hospitals.

Central Montgomery Medical Center broke ground in early February 2003 on a $2-million emergency department renovation. Relocating and doubling the size of the existing department, the project will create 21 private rooms and is slated for completion in 2003. Central Montgomery Medical Center, owned by King of Prussia-based Universal Health Services, is also planning a new $8-million medical office building that will connect to the hospital, to begin construction in late 2003 and reach completion mid-2004.