Industry News

Meredith College has a new $20-million, 80,000-sf collaborative science building under construction. Designed by BJLAS Architecture and built by Rogers Builders of Charlotte, N.C., the facility will promote interaction by bringing together the various science subspecialties, rather than isolating them by floor. The most expensive lab space—that used by the departments of chemistry and biology—will be grouped together. Four to six students will work together at lab ‘islands’. Small group study alcoves will be located throughout the structure.

EOS, a private genomic research company, will relocate from its 31,000-sf space in South San Francisco, to a 82,000-sf building at Slough Estates USA’s $250-million development at Oyster Point. Construction of the facility is scheduled to begin in summer 2001.

Exodus Communications has a new 650,000-sf data center under construction at the Ashburn Corporate Center, a 120-acre development by Du Pont Fabres north of Dulles International Airport. Completion of the Exodus data center is anticipated in summer 2001. Phase two of the project will provide a 300,000-sf building when completed in spring 2002. Donnally Lederer, Vujcic arcitects, based in Gaithersburg, Md., designed the building and the campus' master plan for Exodus.

The National Museum of the American Indian will be entering the second phase of construction with completion estimated for 2004. A $140 million contract for foundation, structure, shell interior and landscaping will be awarded by the Smithsonian Institution, and construction is expected to begin in June 2001. Phase one included site preparation at the National Mall location, which cost approximately $4 million. The museum will house more than 800,000 artifacts.

German firm Leica Microsystems is relocating the headquarters of its semiconductor division to Chantilly, Va. A producer of life-science equipment, Leica will move its division base to a $1.5 million, 10,000-sf facility in the Westfields office park.