Industry News

The Children's Hospital of Oakland is planning a $24-million, 13,300-sf expansion as well as a 14,960-sf renovation. The project would provide MRI space, expand ER facilities, and increase diagnostic rooms.

National Hispanic University is planning to develop the 11-acre site of the former Fred Martin Elementary School in San Jose as its permanent home. The 60,000-sf facility is scheduled for completion in 2003. Site purchase was made possible by over $11 million in funding raised by the school, along with donations from Sobrato Development and the David and Lucille Packard Foundation.

Willis Eye Hospital is developing a new 150,000-sf hospital in Philadelphia. The purchase of air rights enabled construction of the 14-story office and medical facility on top of an existing office and parking garage, a challenge for architect Andre Zlotnicki of HLM Design. Addition of an external glass elevator will enable patrons to access the hospital, which commences on the seventh floor.

Washington Hospital Center is developing an emergency department that converts quickly to terrorist-ready mode as needed. The full-service ER One is a prototype terrorism response unit that includes design specifications for a 21st century facility. The design plan, backed by $2.2 million in federal funding, could be finished in six to nine months, with model completion in 18 months. Security experts join physicians and paramedics from hospitals nationwide on the design team.

IBM Corp. is creating a low-power computing research center in Austin to develop energy efficient information technology. Based in Armonk, N.Y, IBM is establishing the Austin lab to increase the power efficiency of servers, software, computer chips and other technologies. IBM has undertaken a company-wide initiative to develop low-power computing.