Industry News

Southwest Business Corp. plans to consolidate its services at a new 100,000-sf headquarters on a 3.7-acre site in North Central San Antonio. Groundbreaking for the $12 to $14-million building plus 4.5-story parking structure is planned for 2003, with occupancy anticipated in 2005. The company provides insurance and financial services.

Texas Tech University System has selected Detroit-based SmithGroup to provide programming, design architecture, engineering, and master planning services for a new Health Sciences Center Research Facility in El Paso. The facility, scheduled for completion in December of 2005, is the first building of a planned four-year medical school and new regional Health Sciences Center Campus for the Texas Tech University System.

Baylor University broke ground on the new 500,000-sf Baylor Sciences Building on May 17, 2002. The $103-million facility will consolidate departments currently located within the University's science buildings. Comprised of three wings, the four-story structure will house life sciences, physical sciences, and five multidisciplinary research/education centers. It will feature 90 research labs, 80 teaching labs, 187 faculty offices, 48 shared suites, and 6 departmental suites.

The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, Behring Center, has selected the New York-based architecture firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to launch the museum's renovation of its 38-year-old building. The project will improve visitor circulation and navigation, increase exhibition space, and update and improve public facilities, such as restrooms, restaurants and other amenities.

Top priorities under the contract include:

Idec Pharmaceuticals of San Diego broke ground on the first phase of a $1.25-billion large-scale manufacturing project on May 30. The first phase, totalling 470,000-sf in five buildings, is part of a planned three-phase, 1.3 million-sf new products manufacturing development. The first phase is scheduled for occupancy in November 2004.