Industry News

Jacobi Medical Center, a member of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, held a "topping off" ceremony on September 17 for its new 365,000-sf replacement hospital, intended as the first phase in a multi-million master plan. Cannon Design was retained for the programming, planning and design of the new facility, which houses 132 beds in medical/surgical services, 41 beds in pediatrics and PICU services, 44 critical care beds, 24 beds in medical rehabilitation, and 98 beds in behavioral health/alcohol services.

Emory University in Atlanta recently opened the Mathematics and Science Center, a $40-million, 138,000-sf facility featuring almost 33,000-sf of laboratory space. The project features a planetarium and a 180,000-sf auditorium. The center incorporates elements of sustainable design including use of natural light and rainwater harvesting.

Valero Energy Corp. is expanding its San Antonio campus located on the 148-acre former Ultramar Diamond Shamrock campus. Designed by architectural firm Rehler Vaughn & Koone, the 450,000-sf project will include the addition of two new wings to Valero's existing 225,000-sf facility, which will also be upgraded. The cafeteria and 8,000-sf fitness center  will be expanded and improved, and 2,000 parking spaces will be added. Slated for completion in early fall of 2003, the addition will reach full occupancy in spring 2004.

Phoenixville Hospital, part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, is building a two-story $9.3-million open-heart surgery and advanced catheterization addition. Extending the hospital's operating suite by 2,405 sf, the project will create two additional 600-sf operating rooms. The project includes hospital renovations to accommodate a step-down recovery unit and cardiac intensive-care beds.

Samsung Austin Semiconductor, a subsidiary of South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co., has announced a $50-million capital investment at its Austin direct random access memory (DRAM) chipmaking plant. The upgrade will convert chip production from 0.17 microns to 0.146 microns, as well as producing double data rate (DDR) DRAM chips. The Austin plant, where 950 are employed, was built in 1996 at a cost of $1.3 billion. Since then, an additional $100-million in upgrades have been carried out.