In July, Intel predicted that by the end of next year it would be opening the first building of a new four-building R&D plant on 92 acres the chipmaker has agreed to purchase from Westmark Properties. The first building is a sure thing, the company said, and will employ about 1,500 people. Assuming the best possible business conditions, the company planned to build out the site over the next 15 years, employing as many as 6,600 workers by 2015. Already Oregon's largest industrial employer, Intel currently has 16,000 workers in Oregon.

Intel Oregon spokesman Bill MacKenzie tells GlobeSt.com the cutbacks will not affect its commitment to occupy two of three 52,000-sf flex-office buildings under construction in Birtcher Real Estate Group's 213-acre AmberGlen Business Center in Hillsboro. Intel's new leases at AmberGlen were brokered by Bradford Fletcher, managing director of Grubb & Ellis' Portland office and Intel's exclusive leasing agent here.

MacKenzie further tells GlobeSt.com there is "no expectation that this will affect any other lease arrangements we have at this time" in Oregon and that "no other announced office projects (in Oregon) are on hold."

Elsewhere, in Folsom, the company said it is halting construction on a 400,000-sf office and R&D building by the end of the month, and will close its Puerto Rico operation, the size of which was not immediately available. On its campus in Chandler, AZ, Intel tells GlobeSt it is holding off the start of construction on a four-story, 320,000-sf office building, but work on the adjacent $2-billion 360,000-sf fabrication plant is continuing unabated. It is slated for completion before year's end.

In Hudson, MA, Intel is pushing ahead with plans to build a major addition to its microchip plant on Reed Road. Depending on when approvals can be had, the company reportedly hopes to begin construction of the $250-million expansion by the fourth quarter. According to plans filed with the town of Hudson and state regulatory officials, Intel is looking at a 360,000-sf addition to be developed on a 149-acre swath of land.