The University of Kansas Medical Center has received a $3 million grant from the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce to create a life sciences incubator. The $6.25 million project includes renovation of the on-campus Breidenthal building to create a 40,000-sf facility housing laboratories, offices, commons, telecommunications, and a 6,000-sf wet lab. The incubator will support 10 companies.
Scripps Research Institute is constructing three buildings totaling 350,000-sf on 40 acres adjoining Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter. Slated for completion by year-end 2008, the facilities will house biomedical research laboratories, technology space, and offices. A grand opening is set for Feb. 26, 2009. The buildings under construction at Scripps Florida include the Molecular and Biomedical Research building, the Advanced Technologies and Administration building, and the Drug Discovery building.
Yale School of Medicine completed the fit-out of a 70,000-sf translational research facility at its New Haven, Conn., campus in March of 2008. The project contractor was Tucker Mechanical, a subsidiary of EMCOR Group. Tucker Mechanical provided all HVAC and plumbing for the 70,000 square-foot building which was originally designed as an office. Comprised of five floors and a penthouse, the building was constructed to attain LEED certification.
The University of California, Riverside’s 82,000-sf Genomics Building reached 50 percent completion in March of 2008. The five-level facility broke ground in October of 2006 and will house research laboratories and academic space for the Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, which includes the Center for Plant Cell Biology, the Biotechnology Impacts Center and the Center for Disease-Vector Research. The building will house over 200 researchers and staff from the departments of botany and plant sciences, plant pathology, entomology, and neurosciences.
Northrop Grumman Corp. will initiate construction in mid-2008 on a 100,000-sf laboratory and office building in Huntsville, Ala. The facility represents the second phase of the four-building, $80 million Cummings Research Park and will enable Northrop Grumman to consolidate area operations.
Yale University is planning to construct a 180,000-sf biomedical research building in New Haven, Conn. Designed by Pelli Clark Pelli, the five-story facility will be comprised of an underground lab support floor, three floors of laboratories, and a mechanical penthouse and greenhouses on the fourth floor. LEED Gold certification for sustainable design will be sought for the project. The research facility will be connected to the Kline Biology Tower by a bridge.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. broke ground on March 11, 2008 on a new R&D facility in Taipei. The $5 billion (US) project will develop next-generation 32-nanometer, 22-nanometer, and 15-nanometer technologies. Housing research, development, and manufacturing operations, the fabrication plant will create 3,000 jobs.
The Qatar Foundation began construction in early 2008 on the Sidra Medical and Research Center in Doha, Qatar. Designed by Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli and executive architectural firm Ellerbe Becket, the center will provide world-class clinical care, medical education, and biomedical research facilities. Funded by $7.9 billion (US) by the Qatar Foundation, the project is located on the Education City campus near Weill Cornell Medical College.
The University of Miami will complete the ten-story, 188,000-sf Interdisciplinary Wet Lab Research Facility in spring of 2008. The facility will house laboratories, offices, interdisciplinary research groups, interaction spaces, and a vivarium. The construction manager is Moss & Associates. LEED certification will be sought for the project, which will connect to the existing Fox Research Facility on the University’s Medical Campus in Miami.
Esco launched the new Labculture Low Noise Class II Biological Safety Cabinet in March of 2008. The cabinet is the industry's lowest noise Class II cabinet, featuring noise levels as low as 53.5dBA (1.2m cabinet, tested according to EN12469). Typical Class II BSCs operate at 60dBA, with a reduction of 3dBA representing approximately a halving of perceived noise level. The Low Noise Labculture therefore has a perceived noise level 75% lower than standard Class II cabinets, allowing users to spend many hours working continuously.
The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) will begin construction in March of 2008 on the $120 million General Motors of Canada Centre of Automotive Excellence in Oshawa, Canada. Designed by Diamond + Schmitt Architects Inc., the research and development facility includes a four story wind tunnel and will be built by Vanbots Construction.
Indiana University’s Simon Hall received “High Honors” in the 2008 R&D Magazine Lab of the Year competition. The new multidisciplinary science building is located on the Bloomington campus and was designed by Flad Architects. The six-story, 140,000-sf project is sited at the intersection of the departments of chemistry, biology, and biochemistry and houses flexible laboratories, technical support areas, and analytical instrument facilities.
Coloplast initiated construction in March of 2008 on its new North American headquarters in Minneapolis. The Danish medical technology firm’s 180,000-sf campus will be one of three global innovation centers and will house 300 workers. The $40 million project will enable Coloplast, a maker of urology, continence, and wound care products, to consolidate many operations in a central location.
Sanofi-aventis received LEED certification for its 75,000-square-foot R&D facility in Cambridge, Ma., in February of 2008. Completed in June of 2007, the three-story Cambridge Research Center houses laboratories, cold rooms, offices, conference rooms, and meeting areas. The project team included construction manager Linbeck Construction and architectural firm KlingStubbins.
The University of Florida broke ground on the Pathogens Research Facility in Gainesville on February 27, 2008. Housing the Emerging Pathogens Institute, the $60 million facility is slated for completion in August of 2009. Accommodating research on select agents and viruses including SARS, West Nile, and avian influenza, the 108,000-sf building will house BSL-3 facilities, 28 laboratories, offices, three rooftop greenhouses, and support. In addition to the construction cost, the building will contain $15 million in equipment.
