"It will be one of the very first interdisciplinary research andclinical care complexes," he says. "There will be one main lobbyconnecting all three buildings, and the objective is to bringclinicians and researchers together in shared space." He explainsthat the biomedical structure will be 10 stories tall with anaggregate of approximately 500,000 sf. New York City-based RafaelVinoly is the architect.

The facility is expected to reach completion in summer 2010."Groundbreaking is somewhat uncertain," the spokesman says, becauseit depends on progress of the $302-million PerelmanCenter, which is now under construction and scheduled toopen in 2008. The adjacent $144-million Proton Therapy Center, alsounder way, is expected to open in 2009, as GlobeSt.compreviously reported.

Penn and Children's Hospital jointly acquired the former civiccenter site from the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. foran undisclosed price. It is located on Civic Center Boulevard,across from the University of Pennsylvania Health System's maincampus.