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News Briefs - June 23-July 6, 2010
Central West End
BJC Institute of Health at Washington University School of Medicine dedicated June 16
Washington University School of Medicine formally dedicated the BJC Institute of Health June 16 at a celebration featuring Kathleen Sebelius, U.S Secretary of Health and Human Services; Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health; and Maya Lin, designer of the Ellen Clark Hope Plaza surrounding the building.
The 680,000-square-foot institute, located at Euclid Avenue and Children’s Place, is an 11-story research building housing laboratories and support facilities for BioMed 21, Washington University’s research initiative to rapidly translate basic research findings into advances in medical treatment.
The BJC Institute of Health provides laboratory space for newly created interdisciplinary research centers of BioMed 21, including a hope center program on protein aggregation and neurodegeneration, a center for the investigation of membrane excitability disorders, a center for women’s infectious disease research and a diabetic cardiovascular disease center.
The $235 million building, supported by a $30 million naming gift from BJC HealthCare, opened in December 2009. The gift is the largest donation ever received for building construction at the School of Medicine.
“The School of Medicine’s researchers are constantly seeking to identify and understand the underlying causes of disease,” said Larry Shapiro, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. “Our goal is that these endeavors will form the foundation of new treatments and cures. This building will help us reach that goal as quickly as possible, and we thank BJC HealthCare for its support.”
City of St. Louis
Botanical Garden opens renovated green parking lot
The Missouri Botanical Garden recently reopened its east visitor parking lot to the public after closing it for sustainable renovations last October. The renovations are the second of a three-phase improvement project with a total cost of $4.3 million focusing on stormwater management.
“As one of the region’s major tourist attractions, the Garden is in a unique position to be able to educate thousands of people about best ‘green’ practices, not just in our landscapes but also in our hardscapes,” said Deborah Frank, vice president of sustainability of the Garden.
“When visitors pull into our east parking lot, they’ll see a firsthand example of how to incorporate sustainability into a routine construction project,” she continued. “We hope that others will follow our example and consider sustainable alternatives when contemplating necessary renovations in their own homes or businesses. ”
One of the most recognizable features of the new parking lot is a large and central bio-remediation area functioned to collect rain water drainage. Bio-remediation is the use of plantings to naturally reduce the need for treatment of contaminated groundwater. Planted with Missouri natives suitably adapted for retaining moisture, the area allows water to gradually seep into the ground rather than going directly into the storm sewer system.
Portions of the parking lot were paved with pervious concrete and asphalt, through which precipitation is able to soak directly into the ground, thus reducing runoff.
Grasscrete, a third type of sustainable paving, was utilized in areas surrounding trees. Designed with numerous cutout vents or openings filled with sandy soil or grass, it again alleviates the amount of stormwater runoff that a traditionally paved lot would incur.
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