North Aurora health facility opens
The Metro Community Provider’s Network held a ribbon cutting ceremony August 14 for its new North Aurora Family Health Services Campus located at 3292 Peoria Street. The 800,000 square foot facility opened in June. More than 100 local leaders and health professionals gathered at the $10 million facility for the celebration. The facility was created to serve low-income or uninsured families and should raise the number of patients MCPN sees in a year to 32,000, approximately double the current number of patients served.

Aurora biotech firm gets funds for epilepsy work
Aurora based Sierra Neuropharmaceuticals, Inc. received $21.5 million in venture capital funds for its work on new ways of treating epilepsy and other mental illnesses. The money will be used on research for the completion of company’s first product and development of a second product. Sierra has developed a system of implantable pumps used to place medication for epilepsy, depression and schizophrenia into the fluid around the brain. Sierra said that the treatment could eliminate some of the harmful side-effects currently associated with the drugs used to treat the three illnesses. HealthCare Ventures, Morgenthaler Ventures, and Sequel Venture Partners will receive stock shares in Sierra for the money they put into Sierra. Sierra was founded in 2005.

Thank You to the Sponsors of A-List 2008 Presented by ProLogis

Presenting Sponsor:
ProLogis

Platinum Sponsors:
Adolfson & Peterson Construction
Comcast
Oakwood Homes, LLC
U.S. Bank
Xcel Energy

Gold Sponsors:
CH2M Hill
The Children's Hospital
Citywide Banks
Colorado Lending Source
Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.
Fairfield and Woods, P.C.
Forest City
GH Phipps Construction Companies
Kaiser Permanente
Lend Lease Communities
Merrick & Company
National Western Stock Show
Porteos

Bronze Sponsors:
The Boeing Company
Lauth
Majestic Commercenter
Northrop Grumman
Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems

Marketing Sponsor:
The Hanson Group

Video Sponsor:
Direct-Edit Video Production

Audio/Visual Sponsor:
Fastlane Productions, Inc.

Horizon Uptown, Lauth team up for commercial site
Lend Lease Communities recently announced that it will be working with one of the nation’s leading development and construction firms, Lauth, to build a 60,000 square foot, build to suit commercial site at Horizon Uptown. The three-story development will be constructed on five acres in the northwest corner of the 500-acre development near Colfax and E-470. Plans call for the building to be LEED Gold-certified. Once 30 percent of the building has been pre-leased, Lauth will finalize permitting, design and construction plans. The Horizon Uptown plan calls for 4 million square feet of office space, targeting healthcare, aerospace, defense-related, and professional/scientific/technical and administrative/support services. The master plan also consists of 1.3 million square feet of retail space and 3,800 residential units. The project is among a select group of sustainable developments nationwide to be chosen by the U.S. Green Building Council to participate in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) Pilot Program.