Mayo Clinic and United Therapeutics Corp. can start construction on the foundation for their proposed lung-restoration center at Mayo’s Southside campus.
Construction costs alone add up to $40.8 million for the project at 14221 Kendall Hench Circle. Equipment and furnishings will boost that investment.
Mayo Clinic and United Therapeutics are partnering to develop and operate the center, scheduled to open in spring 2019.
They said in June 2015 that the goal of the lung-restoration center was to significantly increase the volume of lungs for transplantation by preserving and restoring selected marginal donor lungs, making them viable for transplantation.
The restored lungs will be made available to patients at Mayo Clinic and other transplant centers throughout the United States.
The city approved a permit Wednesday for Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. to start a $6.2 million project comprising soil improvements, foundations and structural concrete work.
The city approved a permit in August for a $2.2 million project for underground utilities, roadways and a building pad.
A pending permit for the three-story, 75,000-square-foot building shows a construction cost of $32.4 million for the building and its mechanical, electrical and plumbing services.
The property is next to the Birdsall Medical Research and Griffin Cancer Research buildings on the Mayo campus at 4500 San Pablo Road, off Butler Boulevard.
Mayo Public Affairs Manager Kevin Punsky said previously that completion of construction is estimated for the first quarter of 2019.
He said the center could create more than 70 jobs. About 25 United Therapeutics staff will run the center, and Mayo Clinic will dedicate about 50 employees to it.
The project owner is Lung Biotechnology PBC of Silver Spring, Maryland. Lung PBC is a division of United Therapeutics, and Lung PBC is Lung Biotechnology Public Benefit Corporation.
United Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that focuses on the development and commercialization of products for the medical needs of patients in life-threatening conditions.
The building also will be used for Mayo to conduct research. Both Lung PBC and Mayo Clinic activities will produce materials or therapies that Mayo will use in a clinical setting elsewhere on the campus.
The building is designed to feature six “ex vivo lung perfusion” rooms on the first floor; executive and other offices, workstations, a conference room, command center, call rooms and a gym on the second floor; and labs and offices on the third floor.
The fourth floor is the roof and mechanical and machine rooms. The building is designed for more floors to be added if needed.
The center was expected to be completed this year. Punsky said previously that given the state of growth on the Mayo campus, the organizations recognized there might be some delays “as we continuously evaluate projects to make sure they are coordinated and fit our vision and mission to provide the highest quality of care to our patients as technology evolves.”
Pet Paradise was approved to build a prototype pet boarding, grooming and day-camp facility in the Bartram area.
The city OK’d a permit for Sauer Inc. to build the facility at 14976 Walden Springs Way at a project cost of $3.2 million.
Plans show a first floor of almost 14,700 square feet of enclosed space and 980 square feet of unenclosed area.
It will include 185 suites for dogs and a day-camp area. There is also a cattery.
Brian Franco, Pet Paradise vice president of real estate, said previously that Pet Paradise wanted to develop six to eight locations a year.
The Bartram facility will be Jacksonville-based Pet Paradise’s first new center to be built since 2009.
Franco said that in response to customers, the new design includes more shade structures, trees, covered porches and misting stations in the outside play yard; a redesigned lobby; a pool and splash area; and more interior VIP rooms for dogs that add special care like ice cream, a plush bed and webcam so that owners can monitor their pets.
