Higher Education

The University of Kentucky is planning to construct the $18.6 million Davis Marksbury Building in Lexington. Housing research in visualization, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering, the building represents Phase II of the Digital Village complex. The 25,000-sf project will provide space for the UK Center for Visualization and Virtual Environments, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Department of Computer Science.

The University of Iowa opened the 35,000-sf BioVentures Center in Coralville in January of 2009. Located in the UI Research Park, the business incubator features 20 wet labs, 16 offices, shared equipment rooms, and conference rooms for biotechnology and life science companies. Supporting the commercialization of research discoveries, the $8.5 million facility was designed by OPN Architects and built by Ryan Companies, both of Cedar Rapids. Construction began in November of 2007 and reached substantial completion in November of 2008.

Florida State University opened the $20 million High-Performance Materials Institute in January of 2009. Located in Innovation Park in Tallahassee, the facility houses research and development laboratories for advanced composite materials, components, and structures. Designed by Ponikvar & Associates of Gainesville, the High-Performance Materials Institute includes a high-bay manufacturing lab, a vibration-isolated slab for microscopes, and a cleanroom. The two-story, 45,000-sf project was built by Culpepper Construction.

Texas A&M University opened the Soltis Center for Research and Education in San Isidro, Costa Rica in early 2009. Sited on 40 acres adjacent to 250 acres of rainforest, the facility provides classrooms, dormitories, and support spaces for environmental science teaching and research. The Soltis Center will officially be dedicated in June of 2009.

Temple University’s Fox School of Business opened the $80 million Alter Hall in Philadelphia in January of 2009. The seven-story, 217,000-sf facility features Mediasite lecture capture technologies to support multimedia webcasting. Designed by architect Michael Graves, Alter Hall houses 30 technology-rich classrooms and tiered case study rooms.

Drexel University is planning to construct the $55 million Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design in Philadelphia. The 143,000-sf project involves the renovation of two existing facilities to house consolidated instructional and administrative space for programs in digital media, arts management, fashion design, interior design, product design, and architecture. Administrative occupancy will begin in fall of 2009 with academic programs commencing in the facility in fall of 2010.

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine will relocate the Brain Sciences Institute to 25,000 sf of laboratory space in the John G. Rangos Sr. Building in Baltimore. Located in the Science + Technology Park at Johns Hopkins, the project was developed by Forest City-New East Baltimore Partnership. The facility will be the center of the Institute's operations as well as housing labs and offices for the NeuroTranslational Program.

Stephen F. Austin State University opened its Registered Nurse facility in Rusk, Texas, in January of 2009. Located at Rusk State Hospital, the facility will enable junior and senior students to complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Syracuse University’s $35.6 million Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems is slated for completion in summer of 2009. The five-story, 55,000-sf facility will support research, development, and job creation in the fields of indoor environmental quality, renewable energy, and water resource management. The Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems is created in partnership with Clarkson University, Cornell University, SUNY-ESF Center for Sustainable and Clean Energy, and state and industry partners.

Columbia Gorge Community College opened its $8 million health and science building in The Dalles, Ore., in fall of 2008. The 35,000-sf facility houses four science labs, 11 technology-rich classrooms, an amphitheater, offices for the nursing program, student services, and administration.

Binghamton University will begin construction in early 2009 on $36 million science building in Vestal, N.Y. The 65,000-sf Science V will house research laboratories and instructional space for the departments of psychology and biological sciences. Completion is slated for spring of 2011. Binghamton University will also begin building a $66 million, two-story engineering building at the Innovative Technologies Complex in February of 2009.

Florida Atlantic University is initiating a $44 million renovation of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce. The project includes construction of a marine mammal hospital and 30,000-sf of laboratory space and extensive renovation and replacement of existing facilities. The project will accommodate environmental, biomedical, and water quality research.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is expanding its animal research and storage facilities in White Cross, N.C. An animal storage building and a well and water treatment plant is slated for completion in early 2009. The University is also planning to construct additional storage, research, and treatment facilities at the Research Resources Facility site for dogs, pigs, rodents, and sheep.

Virginia Tech is building the $24 million Institute for Critical Technologies & Applied Science (ICTAS) Phase II in Blacksburg, Va. The three-story, 43,000-gsf facility will house specialized labs for applied and fundamental research in bioengineering, biomaterials,and bio-nanotechnology. The project will accommodate the development of communications and sensor technologies and includes offices and support spaces. Virginia Tech is also constructing the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) Facility Addition.

The University of Michigan will purchase Pfizer’s 174-acre campus in Ann Arbor. Housing 1.97 million gsf in 30 buildings, the site will provide 1.3 million sf of research space and 420,000 sf of office space. The $108 million acquisition will enable the University of Michigan to expand its research operations in biomedical science. Occupancy will begin in late 2009.