Manhattan/Torcon Tops Out Largest, Most Complex Biocontainment Facility Ever Designed For the U.S. Department of Defense
FREDERICK, Maryland– Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Manhattan/Torcon building team celebrated the “Topping Out” of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) replacement facility at Fort Detrick, Maryland. USAMRIID is the largest, most complex biocontainment facility ever designed. The joint-venture team of Manhattan Construction Co. of Washington, D.C. and Torcon, Inc. of Red Bank, N.J. are constructing the $518 million project. The “Topping Out” ceremony celebrates when the uppermost steel beam is put in place on a structure.
When the six-story, 835,000-square-foot research facility is certified, it will contain the largest block of state-of-the-art biosafety level (BSL) 3 and 4 laboratory suites in the U.S. Department of Defense. The biosafety laboratory spaces employ many technical enhancements, allowing researchers to work together safely and effectively to respond quickly to critical emerging biological threats, including the world’s deadliest pathogens such as Ebola, for which there is no vaccine.
“We are honored to have the privilege of helping our nation’s military prepare to combat new biological threats through the construction of USAMRIID,” said Manhattan Vice President of Operations Brian Killion. “Today we recognize the workers who have been quality conscientious, careful and swift in bringing this project to this milestone on schedule and with an exemplary safety record.”
The building is scheduled to be completed in July 2014 and will serve as the cornerstone of the National Interagency Biodefense Campus (NIBC) at Fort Detrick.
The USAMRIID project is LEED®-registered and designed to meet LEED Silver certification. The LEED green building certification program is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings.
The project architect is Joint Venture Partners CUH2A – a subsidiary of Omaha Nebraska-based HDR, Inc. and Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Smith Carter.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, is a full-spectrum engineering force of Soldiers and civilians dedicated to serving the Armed Forces and the Nation with innovative and effective solutions to a broad range of engineering challenges.
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