Industry News

The University of Kentucky has selected Gilman Building Co. of Columbus, Ohio, as construction manager for its new $67.2-million, 185,000-sf Biomedical/Biological Sciences Research Building. The new building, with four floors of research space and a basement, will serve as a facility for collaboration in research and graduate education in biological chemistry, genetics, molecular biology, neuroscience, vaccine development, host resistance, and related fields.

Sun Microsystems has selected Bottom Duvivier of Redwood City, Calif., to design a 110,000-sf shared work environment at Foundry Square in San Francisco, a project under development by Wilson Equity Office. The facility will house 400 to 500 employees doing research and development, with some employees working from home. At the center, desks and computers can be reserved for given time periods; and lockers are provided. Tenant improvements are scheduled to begin in September 2002, with completion in five months.

Ground has been broken on Guilford Technical Community College's 66,000-sf School of Entertainment Technology. Funded by state bond money, the $92.5 million building will include an amphitheater and sound studios.

Food Safety Net Services Ltd. of San Antonio has purchased 10 acres in Grand Prairie, Texas, as the site of a food-testing lab to be relocated form Richardson, Texas. With construction to begin in 60 to 90 days, completion is slated for October, 2002. Fort Worth-based Dobbins & Crow Architects was selected to design the 12,000-sf lab, which is a significant expansion from Food Safety Net's 2,000 sf in Richardson.

Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Walnut Creek, Calif., has selected architects Ratcliff of Emeryville, Calif., to design a new emergency department. The 32,000-sf facility will feature 52 private-visit rooms and will accommodate 73,000 patient visits per year. Slated to open in September 2003, the new emergency department will be 2.5 times the size of Kaiser's existing Walnut Creek emergency facilities.