Industry News

Cephalon is seeking 100 acres on which to locate a research and office complex that could eventually total up to 1,000,000 sf. Currently housed in 160,000 sf in West Chester, Cephalon's research and administrative operations employ 400 workers. The biotech company prefers to remain in the Philadelphia area, but is also considering locations in Collegeville, Montgomery County, and in northern Delaware. Cephalon has contracted the local office of Julien J. Studley Inc. to provide site selection and planning services.

San Jose-based semiconductor equipment maker Novellus Systems is expanding its Tualatin, Oregon, operations with the opening of a 382,000-sf plant. Located on a 58-acre campus, the factory will manufacture products for chipmakers to produce advanced integrated circuits, including Novellus' copper metallization and damascene dielectric deposition tools.

TheraSense of Alameda, Calif., is doubling its facilities with the lease of 64,000 sf of build-to-suit space adjacent to its existing building in Alameda. TheraSense will invest $3-million in tenant improvements for the facility, which will expand the sales and manufacturing capacity for TheraSense's diabetes blood-testing kits. TheraSense plans to add 50 employees to its current 400-person staff when the new space is completed in April of 2003.  

The University of Maryland has broken ground on its $124-million, 360,000-sf Baltimore dental school. The building is slated for occupancy in 2005.

Zhone Technologies has selected architects Fee Munson Ebert and Ibsen/Senty Architecture to design its corporate headquarters and R&D facility in Oakland, Calif.   SRM Associates of Oakland will act as general contractor and project manager for the $54.5-million, 180,000-sf facility. Construction began in January 2000 and is slated for completion in March 2002.