Industry News

ValleyCare Health System, a Pleasanton and Livermore community hospital system, is engaged in 180,000 sf of new construction totalling almost $94 million. Adding 40 acute and intensive care beds to its 97-bed Pleasanton hospital, ValleyCare will also expand operating room, clinical, outpatient, and medical office facilities. Currently under construction on the Livermore campus is the 65,000-sf "Lifestyle RX", a health, wellness and fitness center open to patients and the general population.

Hewlett Packard was recently awarded the Association of Briefing Program Managers 2002 trophy for best new or renovated center in the nation for its 400,000-sf Executive Briefing Center in Cupertino. Designed for all technology to be invisible, the renovated 14-year-old center houses product showcases and shareholder and company meetings. The 10-month project was completed by Toeniskoeter & Breeding and RMW Architecture and Interiors of San Francisco.   

Washington Gas, a natural gas utility, began renovating its 500,000-sf Springfield Operations Center in October 2002. The project, designed by architectural firm McKissack & McKissack of Washington, D.C., will be the first renovation performed on the 1971 light industrial building since its construction. The renovation is expected to reach completion in three to five years. Washington Gas is also seeking to relocate its headquarters to a new 80,000- to 90,000-sf site in the greater Washington area.

WallTech Inc., an Austin modular furniture refurbisher, has occupied 75,600 sf of warehouse and office space in the Hill Partners' Rutland 4 building. The facility consolidates 12,000 sf of office space and 40,000 sf of industrial space vacated by WallTech in its September 2002 relocation.

USA Today, a subsidiary of McLean, Va.-based Gannett, is planning to build an emergency publishing center outside of Washington, D.C. In addition to its alternate Silver Spring data center and publishing site, the project will enable publishing in the event of an area-wide disaster. Current options include the construction or lease of a publishing center removed from the District by more than 100 miles, or the creation of both East and West coast emergency publishing centers. Each center will be staffed by 20-25 employees.