Industry News

Michigan State University broke ground on the $85 million Doug Meijer Innovation Building in Grand Rapids in November of 2019. Designed by SmithGroup, the 205,000-sf facility will house multiple tenants including Spectrum Health, BAMF Health, and MSU's College of Human Medicine. The collaborative six-story building will enable the discovery and commercialization of new medical devices, artificial intelligence technologies, and treatments for cancer and dementia.

Apple broke ground in November of 2019 on a $1 billion campus in Austin, Texas. The 133-acre development will provide three million square feet of integrated research, office, and production facilities nestled in abundant green space, which will occupy 60 percent of the site. Powered entirely by renewable energy, the complex will initially house 5,000 employees with full occupancy estimated at 15,000. Occupancy is expected in 2022. The project will include a 50-acre nature and wildlife preserve that will be open to the public. 

California State University, San Bernardino opened the $55 million Center for Global Innovation in November of 2019. Serving as the centerpiece of the campus, the three-story, 71,000-sf facility features 24 collaborative classrooms, reconfigurable multipurpose rooms, and casual study lounges. The building houses the College of Extended Learning and the university's international student programs, as well as providing administrative offices, a 250-seat auditorium, and retail food amenities.

Florida Gulf Coast University broke ground in November of 2019 on a $59.9 million building for The Water School in Fort Myers. Designed by RG Architects and HuntonBrady, the four-story, 117,000-sf facility will provide 58,000 sf of research labs, 15,000 sf of teaching labs, and 23,400 sf of classrooms. The project will be the largest academic structure on FGCU's campus and will support interdisciplinary environmental sciences programs focused on water quality, policy, and management.

Amazon is planning to construct a $40 million robotics innovation hub in Westborough, Mass. The 350,000-sf facility will enable teams of researchers, engineers, and technicians to design, build, program, and test robots, including self-driving units for order fulfillment and warehouse management. The project will house R&D labs, manufacturing space, corporate offices, and a distribution center. Completion is expected in 2021.