LEXINGTON, Mass.--MIT Lincoln Laboratory, a research and development center operated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the Department of Defense, formally opened its new South Laboratory Building on Saturday, May 20, 1995. The dedication ceremony was held at Lincoln Laboratory located at 244 Wood Street in Lexington, which has been a key center of advanced electronic and military technology since it was founded at the request of the U.S. Air Force in 1951.
The experience and expertise of the Laboratory are widely utilized by the Department of Defense in the areas of surveillance, identification, and communications, as well as by the Federal Aviation Administration in the area of advanced air traffic control technology and by other government agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Laboratory has been at the center of advances ranging from materials and semiconductor device fabrication to missile defense, air defense, military satellite communications, and radar that can detect tanks or other targets hidden under foliage. More than 60 high-technology companies employing more than 100,000 people, with annual sales revenue reaching $16 billion, have spun off from Lincoln Laboratory.
The dedication commenced at 10:30 a.m. and concluded with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 12:00 noon. Remarks were made by Dr. Charles M. Vest, President of MIT; Professor Walter E. Morrow, Jr., Director of Lincoln Laboratory; and John M. Deutch, Director, Central Intelligence, and former MIT Provost.
Congressman John P. Murtha, (D-PA), ranking minority member of the Appropriations Subcom-mittee on National Security, was the keynote speaker at the dedication. Rep. Murtha, who lives in Johnstown, Pa. and has represented Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District since 1975, was chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee from 1989 through 1994.
In introducing Rep. Murtha, MIT Chairman Paul E. Gray said, "Jack Murtha has sought to insure technological superiority for the men and women in the armed forces for many years. His support of advanced technology development has helped build Western Pennsylvania's reputation as a technology center. His recognition of the importance of university-based Federally Funded Research and Development Centers is based not only on MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, but also the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Representative Murtha is a strong advocate of education, especially continuing education and professional development, as well as the need for Defense Department graduate fellowships for engineers."
President Vest said, "Lincoln Laboratory's contributions toward strengthening the science and technology base of the United States have indeed been significant. This new facility that we dedicate today will provide the setting for continued service to the nation in the decades ahead."
Laboratory Director Morrow commented, "This facility provides quality laboratory and office space that is allowing us to consolidate activities from several off-site locations within a single efficient complex. The resulting benefits of the increased staff interaction and sharing of resources will further enhance the Laboratory's effectiveness." The four-story 490,000 square foot building presently houses approximately 1,000 employees.
The formation of the construction project team began in April 1990 when the Laboratory selected Spaulding & Slye as the developer and Perini Corporation as the general contractor through a competitive selection process. Lincoln Laboratory and Spaulding & Slye then selected Jung/Brannen Associates, Inc. of Boston, a firm known for its excellence in modern laboratory design, as the project architect. Other team members included John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, providing the project financing, and leading engineering consultants, R. G. Vanderweil Engineers and Lev Zetlin Associates.
