Industry News

Pennsylvania State University is considering approximately $140 million in projects at the University City campus. A $31 million parking garage is planned, and a medical facility shared with The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is under consideration. The medical complex would combine ambulatory services, cancer care, and research space.

Independence Park Institute, a $10 million educational building designed by Kallman, McKinnell and Wood Architects, will house interactive educational space for student visitors to Independence Mall each year. The building is as yet unfunded, but construction is scheduled to begin in December 2001, with completion in 2002. Construction at other Independence Mall sites includes the $12 million Liberty Bell Pavilion, the $40 million Visitors Center, and the $130 million National Constitution Center?all scheduled to open beginning fall 2001 through 2003.

The Mount Sinai School of Medicine has selected Tsoi/Kobus & Associates to assist in redesigning its medical education facilities within an existing tower. The new facilities will consolidate approximately 120,000 sf of existing teaching, library, and administrative space, using centralized information technology and media services. The Morchand Center for Clinical Competence will be expanded, and a new Minimally Invasive Surgery Education Center will be established.

The University of Notre Dame has chosen The S/L/A/M Collaborative to design a new 200,000-sf undergraduate science teaching building. The project is the implementation of the first phase of the College of Science master plan and will provide state-of-the-art teaching labs and support space for the departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, and Physics. Research Facilities Design is the laboratory building design consultant.

Central College's Vermeer Science Center renovation and addition design has been completed by Holabird & Root. The Center will house classroom, laboratory, and office space for the disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Pre-Engineering, Environmental Studies, Mathematics, and Computer Science. A new greenhouse, museum display areas, and a special collections science library and reading room are also new spaces. The Center includes a 40,000-gsf wrap-around expansion to the 30,000-gsf existing facility.