Architecture
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange has received the President’s Award from the Orange County Chapter of the American Institute for Architects for its work on Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. The Diocese is in the midst of a $72 million project and needs to reconfigure the building’s floor plan to adhere to the requirements of the Catholic church. Former recipients of the AIA President’s Award include Irvine Company Chairman Donald Bren and the Rev. Robert H. Schuler, among others. The Diocese acquired the cathedral and campus from Schuler’s Crystal Cathedral Ministries in 2012. Schuler and his Crystal Cathedral Ministries built the cathedral. Schuler’s church lost the building when it declared bankruptcy in 2010.
Education
U.S. News & World Report has ranked the University of California-Irvine ninth among public universities nationwide in its 2017 Best Colleges report. The ranking was derived from 15 measures of academic excellence, weighted by relevance to high-quality education. The report also rates programs and some undergraduate majors. UCI ranked No. 32 for its undergraduate business program. Cal State University-Fullerton ranked No. 110 among public universities. It was the first time it’s been included in the national rankings. CSUF previously was included in the much narrower “regional universities” category. The change was based largely on the university’s recent elevation to “research” status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, in recognition of its evolution from a master’s-level institution to one that awards doctorates. Orange-based Chapman University ranked No. 6 among the 124 Western regional universities. It also was recognized as one of only two universities in the Western region to be ranked as “Most Innovative.” School presidents, provosts and admissions deans were asked to nominate institutions for the category, citing those that are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities. Concordia University in Irvine tied for No. 41 in the ranking of Western regional universities. Vanguard University of Southern California in Costa Mesa ranked No. 60 in the Western region. Aliso Viejo-based Soka University tied for No. 41 on a ranking of “National Liberal Arts Colleges,” up from No. 45 last year. Chapman’s School of Pharmacy has opened its first center, which focuses on targeted drug delivery. Centers at a university are areas of focused research; the pharmacy school plans several. The pharmacy school and the new center are located at Chapman’s campus in Irvine.
Healthcare
Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc. plans to offer $125 million in stock of the clinical stage pharmaceutical firm, which is in development on drugs to treat glaucoma and other eye diseases. The company has executive offices in Irvine but at the time of its October 2013 initial public offering listed Bedminster, N.J., as its headquarters, where it maintains a significant presence. Shares of Aerie traded recently at about $35 for a $969 million market cap.
Manufacturing
Chicago-based Kraft Heinz Co. reversed an earlier decision with plans to keep its 360-worker plant in Fullerton plant open. The company said brisk demand for prepackaged meals sold at retail changed the fate of the facility, which had been one of six in the U.S. and Canada slated to close to “eliminate excess capacity,” according to the company.
Media
Former Blizzard Entertainment Inc. Creative Director Rob Pardo has started a gaming studio in Irvine that aims to build the types of interactive worlds that made his former company a pioneer in the industry. Bonfire Studios Inc., which counts an executive team of former Blizzard staffers and noted developer Min Kim, has raised $25 million from Silicon Valley venture capitalist Andreesen Horowitz and Los Angeles-based Riot Games.
Real Estate
Gov. Jerry Brown last week signed a bill to prohibit any sale of the 150-acre Orange County Fair & Event Center. Anaheim-based Assembly Member Tom Daly sponsored the legislation, which passed the lower chamber and the state Senate by wide margins. AB 1907 nullifies provisions of state law that would have allowed a sale of the 150-acre property by the state Department of General Services. A sale for $100 million to Costa Mesa-based Facilities Management West was in the works before Brown took office. A court challenge sidetracked the deal.
Technology
Irvine-based Digital Map Products, a provider of cloud-based spatial technology, has secured more than $36 million in funding, the company said today. The lead backer was Boston-based Silversmith Capital Partners.
