BOSTON — Simmons University has opened an 80,000-square-foot science center and renovated library as part of the second phase of the One Simmons project at its Boston campus. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects, the science center houses over 22,000 square feet of lab space, including a new 30-bed nursing and health science simulation center. The reimagined library features 14,000 square feet of new study and collaborative learning space. Developed in partnership with Skanska International, One Simmons is a three-phase project that includes a residential redevelopment component.
MANHATTAN, Kan. — McCarthy Mortenson NBAF, a joint venture between builders McCarthy Building Cos. and Mortenson Construction, has completed the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, approximately 55 miles west of Topeka and 115 miles west of Kansas City. Development costs for the animal disease research facility were estimated at $940 million. Developed to ensure public health and the safety and security of the nation’s food supply, the 707,000-square-foot facility is located on a 48-acre site. It is designed with stringent containment, blast-resistant and anti-terrorism requirements, as well as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) high-wind design criteria adopted by the Department of Homeland Security. NBAF features laboratories functioning at multiple biosafety levels, including the first facility in the United States with biosafety level 4 containment capable of housing large livestock. The lab portions total 574,000 square feet, while the freestanding, 87,000-square-foot Central Utility Plant houses boilers, chillers, emergency diesel generators and other support elements for the main laboratory facility. In addition to having multiple laboratories, NBAF will also have a biologics development module to explore the development and production of potential vaccines, diagnostic platforms and veterinary medical countermeasures. The property will functionally replace the aging Plum Island Animal …
MANASSAS, VA. — Skanska has topped out George Mason University’s new Life Sciences and Engineering Building at the school’s Prince William County Science and Technology (SciTech) Campus in Manassas. The $83.6 million, 132,000-square-foot building will support students enrolled in STEM-H majors, such as kinesiology, materials science, forensic science, bioengineering and mechanical engineering. (STEM-H is short for science, technology, engineering, math and health sciences.) The facility will comprise specialized instructional labs, classrooms, experiential learning laboratories and faculty and administrative offices. The property will also be part of the university’s Innovation Town Center, which will provide students at the SciTech Campus with a residential campus experience from their freshman year through their post-graduate work.
HOUSTON — Austin-based developer OHT Partners has broken ground on Lenox Heights, a five-story, 359-unit multifamily project in Houston’s Heights neighborhood. Units will come in one- and two-bedroom floor plans and will range in size from 629 to 1,247 square feet. Residences will be furnished with stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and various pieces of smart technology. Amenities will include two pools, a fitness center, coworking lounge, clubhouse and a pet spa. Steinberg Dickey Collaborative is the project architect. Completion is slated for early 2025.
PLANO, TEXAS — Dallas-based developer Cawley Partners is underway on construction of Phase II of The Parkwood, a project in Plano that will add 120,000 square feet of office space to the local supply. Phase I of The Parkwood, which also comprises 120,000 square feet, was completed in late 2022 and is fully leased to First United Bank. Phase II is 43 percent preleased, with SFMG Wealth Advisors committed as the anchor tenant with a 22,000-square-foot lease. Amenities at The Parkwood include a fitness center, pickleball court, conference centers and rooftop terraces.
COMMACK, N.Y. — San Francisco-based developer Bristol Group is nearing completion of a 178,124-square-foot speculative industrial project in the Long Island community of Commack. The property features a clear height of 36 feet, 31 dock-high loading doors, two drive-in ramps, 205 car parking spaces and 16 trailer parking stalls. The site can also support future expansion or additional parking requirements. Full delivery is slated for June. JLL is marketing the property for lease.
PASADENA, CALIF. — JLL has arranged $36.8 million in construction financing for a 194-room AC Hotel by Marriott development in Pasadena. The six-story hotel will be situated in the Playhouse District. It will feature a rooftop lounge, Peloton fitness room, event space and AC Lounge. JLL’s Marc Schillinger and Matt Stewart represented the developer, Welcome Group Inc., to secure the three-year loan with two one-year extension options.
AURORA, ILL. — Seefried Industrial Properties and Endeavour’s Edged Energy division have broken ground on a three-building data center campus in Aurora. Located on a four-way interchange at I-88 and Eola Road, the 65-acre project will be constructed in phases. The first building is slated for completion in June 2024. The project will feature sustainable initiatives such as advanced waterless cooling technology, electric vehicle charging and onsite solar panels. ComEd, the electrical company serving northern Illinois, is providing the infrastructure needed to power the new campus from its nearby regional substation. Seefried and Edged Energy also intend to add a new substation on site to support future phases of development. FCL Builders is the general contractor, Ware Malcomb is the architect and Kimley-Horn is the civil engineer. Paul Roeser and Ryan O’Leary of KBC Advisors represented Edged Energy on the transaction, while Jim DeRose and Michele Keller of DuPage Property Venture represented the land seller.
BROOMFIELD, COLO. — LaPour Partners has received governmental approval to build Arista 36, a 359,800-square-foot, Class A industrial park in Broomfield. The company plans to break ground in September for delivery in early 2025. The three-building project is situated on a nearly 30-acre site in the northwest section of the city. It will feature 48 electric vehicle charging stations; two tenant community gathering spaces with shade elements and plenty of seating; walking and bike trail tie-ins; and enclosed bike racks for bike-to-work capability. Stream Realty Partners’ Tyler Reed, Peter Beugg, Dominic DiOrio and Buzz Miller will handle leasing at the property.
NORMANDY, MO. — McCarthy Building Cos. has broken ground on the new home of the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service Midwestern Laboratory in Normandy, a northwest suburb of St. Louis. The state-of-the-art, 83,000-square-foot facility will support science and technology to address present and future public health challenges. The project will consist of two loading docks for shipping and receiving, a large warehouse for field operations storage, a processing center, microbiology labs, chemistry labs and administrative offices. The General Services Administration signed a lease with US Federal Properties for a term of 20 years and a total contract value of $115.5 million. Site and civil work are expected to be completed in the fall, with building construction occurring in 2024 and 2025. Hoefer Welker is the designer. The Food Safety and Inspection Service’s roughly 60 employees at its St. Louis-based laboratory are expected to move to the new facility in mid-2025.