Torrey Pines to get red carpet

Torrey Pines to get red carpet
By HILLARY COPSEY hillary.copsey@scripps.com September 21, 2006
PORT ST. LUCIE — Developer Core Communities is hosting an invitation-only reception at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Tradition Hall to welcome Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, while the city is taking the first steps toward building a $40 million facility for the California-based biotech organization.
Gov. Jeb Bush is expected to attend Tuesday's event, which will celebrate Torrey Pines' decision to build in Port St. Lucie. The nonprofit research center is the latest California biotech organization to expand in Florida.
Torrey Pines is expected to bring 189 jobs to a new facility being built for it by Port St. Lucie in Tradition. President and founder Richard Houghten will give more information Tuesday about the research center's Florida plans, event planners said.
A $90 million incentive package collected by the state, Port St. Lucie St. Lucie County, Core Communities and Florida Atlantic University lured Torrey Pines to the Treasure Coast. The state Legislative Budget Commission is set to seal the deal early Tuesday by approving $30 million for Torrey Pines.
Five companies already have submitted proposals to build the $40 million, 100,000-square-foot facility needed for Torrey Pines.
The city hopes to complete the facility in Tradition in about two years paid for with fees charged to developers on every home they build, officials said.
To stick to the fast timeline, City Manager Don Cooper asked builders with experience constructing lab facilities to submit their qualifications by Monday. Three companies working out of West Palm Beach — Centex Construction , Suffolk Construction and The Weitz Co.— met the deadline, along with Catalfumo Construction Ltd. of Palm Beach Gardens and DPR Construction of Phoenix.
The city may choose a construction company early next month.