DPR’s National Resources and Regional Know-How Steer Successful Completion of Dallas Biotech Corridor Project

With the goal of breathing new life into a 20-year-old “cube farm” (office building) and transforming it into a 17,000-sq.-ft. research and development facility for Cumbre Inc., DPR combined its national experience as a major player in the construction of biotech facilities with its regional know-how to get the job done. Located in the Stemmons Corridor section of Dallas, the region’s growing “Biotech Corridor,” the Cumbre project was one of 50 biopharmaceutical projects built over the past year by DPR, which is ranked by ENR as the seventh largest builder of pharmaceutical projects in the nation.

Starting in August 2001, DPR built out the facility in 15 weeks to include laboratory space, an upgraded HVAC and an equipment pad to support a new vacuum system, as well as clean dry air, reverse osmosis/de-ionized water, and nitrogen bulk tank systems. The facility’s office space and conference rooms have also been renovated to offer flexibility for any future company expansion.

According to Jill Allison, project engineer for DPR, the key to the successful completion of Cumbre’s 11,000 sq. ft. of research laboratory and 6,000 sq. ft. of office space was based on continuously looking for ways to improve the construction process. Through the knowledge gained at DPR’s projects in other biotech hot spots, such as San Diego, Seattle and South San Francisco, and through the company’s national database of current best practices, DPR’s biotech construction teams begin each project with an advantage.

Overcoming Challenges

“By communicating with other DPR biotech teams and drawing on our national expertise, we are able to transfer the knowledge gained from previous DPR projects, which helps us to identify early on in the construction process those issues that will have a direct impact on the success of our own project,” said Allison. “While each construction job has its unique challenges, asking the right questions allows us to overcome these challenges more quickly and cost effectively.”

Faced with a fast-track construction schedule that required sequencing and phased completion, DPR worked very closely with Cumbre to meet its needs. By having open communication with the customer, the project team was able to procure long-lead-time equipment and materials early in the project planning phase, avoiding costly delays later. The team also saved additional time on the schedule through a close examination of the extremely complex piping, utility, HVAC, and electrical systems needed to maintain the facility’s environment. After carefully reviewing the architectural plans, the team identified an alternative solution that reduced the time necessary for installation of these systems.

Asking the Right Questions

According to John Elwood, Director of Operations for Cumbre, having an experienced national biotech contractor like DPR on board and in the local Dallas area helped a great deal in ensuring the successful delivery of the highly technical, state-of-the-art facility.

“With DPR, we had a local contractor that knows the ins and outs of building in the Dallas market, combined with the company’s extensive expertise in constructing biotech facilities across the country,” said Elwood. “DPR knew all the right questions to ask and just what they needed to do to get it done in a timely, cost effective manner. The team did an outstanding job.”

By asking the right questions, the project team, including WHL Architects, Cresa Partners and TD Industries, provided significant savings on the project. Initial designs called for replacing all of the original air handlers with costly 100 percent outside air units. Through brainstorming alternatives, the team determined that only three new units needed to be purchased and installed for certain laboratories that require a higher air exchange rate, using less expensive roof top units for office and remaining lab space.