Industry News

The University of Texas at San Antonio plans to develop its Biotechnology, Sciences and Engineering Building with $22.9 million received from a $1 billion state revenue bond initiative for new projects. The $64 million facility is currently in the programming stage which should be completed by September. Architect of record for the project, which has not yet entered the design phase, is FPK of Houston.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio could benefit from a $1 billion revenue bond initiative for new projects in Texas. The campus is eligible to receive up to $29 million for new facility construction housing academic administration and student services, including a Laredo Extension Campus support building.

AstraZeneca R&D Boston will soon be adding 80,000 sf to its 170,000-sf office and infectious disease research facility in Boston. The company currently employs 250 at the site; the expansion will accommodate up to 420 over the next few years.

The Office of Homeland Security may move into a 339,000-sf, eight-story stand-alone building with secure parking—the largest block of contiguous office space available in Washington. The General Services Administration is bidding for the space against CareFirst BlueCross Blue Shield, which is also looking to house its 1,275 employees in the city.

BioSmart Excelerator, a 30,000- to 50,000-sf intermediate incubator for mezzanine bioscience companies, is being planned for Montgomery County, Md., by the former director of Maryland’s Technology Development Center, Duc Duong. Once funds are raised, BioSpace Development of Pittsburgh will design the facility. Duong will build nine more second-stage incubators in the next 10 years if the original concept is successful.