Industry News

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.  

Lafayette College of Lehigh Valley, Pa., has selected Boston-based Cannon Design to develop a varsity athletic facilities master plan. Lafayette's 80,000-sf Kirby Field House addition was recently planned and programmed by Cannon. The Kirby addition features a three-court gymnasium, fitness/running room, elevated running track, multipurpose rooms, racquetball and squash courts, a climbing wall and full support facilities.

Tibco Software has expanded its Palo Alto offices by 292,000 sf, accommodating the company's move into the field of business integration software. The expansion will allow Tibco to double its staff of over 1,000-employees.

Temple University of Philadelphia is relieving its shortage of student housing with the renovation of the old Kardon building to create a 187-unit apartment complex. Part of a campus plan formed in 1998, the 473,000-sf, eight-story building will be converted over the summer and will house students in the fall. The $24-million apartment complex will support 425 residents in one- and two-bedroom units ranging from 900- to 1,500-sf. Although three floors are slated for freshman students, the remainder of the apartment complex is open to non-university renters.

Dean College dedicated the new Robert F. Lucey Center for Technology & Training in February 2002. Formerly an under-utilized library study space, the Center contains a multimedia instructor teaching station and two classrooms each housing 20 fully loaded student computers.  Featuring the latest technology, the Lucey Center is designed to provide Dean's 900 students with the training and technical education in demand by local employers. Faculty will begin using the Center in fall of 2002.