Industry News

Construction has begun on the International Monetary Fund's new Washington headquarters.  The 650,000-sf facility, designed by New York-based Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and associate architect Weihe Design Group, includes a 450-seat meeting room, a restaurant, and three levels of underground parking.  Developer for the project is CarrAmerica Realty, and the general contractor is Clark Construction Group.

Montclair State University has selected  The S/L/A/M Collaborative of Glastonbury, Conn., to design a new, 6-8 floor academic building. The 190,000-nsf (271,428 gsf) structure will house 52 classrooms of various sizes as well as The College of Education and Human Services; The Office of Information Technology; and a 31,000-sf Conference Center. Completion of the $54,285,600 project is anticipated in February 2005.

Wilmington-based Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD) is negotiating construction of an additional 70,000-sf facility at its Barclay Commons campus with developer Cameron. PPD, a contract research firm for pharmaceutical and biotech companies, has two existing buildings totaling 60,000-sf and 70,000-sf at the site.

Lawrence Livermore Laboratory has received approval from the federal government to build a laboratory for the study of potential biological weapons in Livermore, Calif. Rated Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3), the lab will enable research in the detection of potential threats including anthrax, botulism, and other diseases. In planning the facility, the National Nuclear Security Administration reviewed 92 public comments and, as a result, incorporated 33 changes to the planned facility.

The City of Poway broke ground on a 5,900-sf council chamber building and a two-story 50,400-sf City Hall office building in October 2002. The $14.6-million project was designed by McGraw/Baldwin Architects. Douglas E. Barnhart Inc. is providing construction management services.