Academic Medical

A new interdisciplinary medical and health sciences education building at the University of North Dakota (UND) has reinvigorated academic culture with shared resources and improved research capacity, while accommodating increased enrollment and faculty. The 325,000-sf School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) building replaces the repurposed hospital that previously housed medical education on the campus, bringing disciplines including medical lab sciences, physician assistant, occupational therapy, sports medicine, public health, and physical therapy together with medicine.

The Medical College of Wisconsin is constructing a $90 million administrative building in Wauwatosa. Designed by Flad Architects to enhance collaboration and interaction, the eight-story, 318,000-sf facility will house 1,500 occupants, including clinicians, researchers, faculty members, and administrative staff. Construction manager CG Schmidt broke ground on the project in March of 2016 and completion of the first phase is expected in fall of 2017. Subsequent phases will open in late 2017 and early 2018.

The University of Arizona is building the $165 million Health Sciences Innovation Building in Tucson. Designed by CO Architects, the ten-story, 226,000-sf facility will feature simulation training suites for programs in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and public health. A minimum of LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the fast-track project, which will also provide clinical laboratories and a variety of group learning areas.

After a one-year delay, Congress has passed the 21st Century Cures Act, which includes new funding totaling $4.8 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), $500 million for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to bring novel drug therapies and medical devices to market more quickly, and $1 billion to fight the growing opioid crisis. The NIH funding includes $1.8 billion for Vice President Joseph Biden’s “Cancer Moonshot,” $1.6 billion for President Obama’s BRAIN initiative, and additional money earmarked for precision medicine. The Cures Act funding is separate from, and in addition to, annual NIH budget increases. It comes on the heals of a $2 billion increase in NIH funding last year, the largest increase in a decade. If the trend continues, it could result in a need for additional research infrastructure in the form of renovations and new construction.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center completed construction in January of 2017 on the $36.7 million Interprofessional Simulation and Patient Safety Center in Memphis. Designed by BRG3S and built by Flintco, the 45,000-sf facility will enable students from UTHSC’s six colleges to engage in team-based training programs in a simulated acute-care hospital with inpatient rooms, surgical suites, and labor and delivery rooms.

The Medical University of South Carolina is building the $385 million Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital & Pearl Tourville Women’s Pavilion in Charleston. The 225-bed replacement facility will include an expanded neonatal intensive care unit, a dedicated pediatric cancer floor, and a comprehensive pediatric heart center. Construction manager Robins & Morton began building the facility in November of 2016 and occupancy is expected in mid-2019.

Imperial College London began construction in early 2017 on the £70 million Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Research Hub in London. Designed by Allies & Morrison, the collaborative 14-story building will provide flexible laboratories, an outpatient clinic, an auditorium, and interaction spaces. Located on the White City campus, the 215,000-sf translational research facility will be built to attain BREEAM sustainable design certification and will feature a highly efficient service model with interconnected utility plants on each floor.

University of Chicago Medicine opened the $61 million Center for Advanced Care in December of 2016 in Orland Park, Ill. Designed by Tsoi/Kobus & Associates, the four-story, 108,000-sf facility offers cardiology, orthopedics, gastroenterology, pediatrics, women’s health, surgical consulting, and radiation oncology services. Ground was broken in October of 2015 on the center, which provides 80 exam rooms, 26 infusion bays, a linear accelerator, and advanced imaging suites.

Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA Biomed) will begin construction in early 2017 on a four-story, 85,000-sf R&D facility on the campus of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, Calif. Consolidating operations currently dispersed in seven campus locations, the collaborative project will feature core labs with advanced technological instrumentation. A modular design will provide flexible wet and dry research spaces as well as conference and dining facilities.

Adelphi University celebrated the opening of the $76 million Nexus Building in December of 2016 in Garden City, N.Y. Designed by Ballinger, the collaborative 100,000-sf facility houses the College of Nursing and Public Health, the Center for Health Innovation, and a hub for core student services. The project also provides clinical simulation suites, research and informatics laboratories, and over 15 contemporary learning spaces.

The University of Melbourne is engaged in a 54,000-sf expansion of the Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute. Created in partnership with Australian biopharmaceutical firm CSL, the AUD$36.4 million project will house the CSL Global Hub for Research and Translational Medicine, which will feature advanced technologies for the creation of personalized medicine solutions. Completion is expected in mid-2017.

Texas Tech University is planning to build the $62 million Medical Science Building II in El Paso. Designed by Perkins+Will, the 227,000-sf facility will provide advanced research laboratories, classrooms, lecture halls, faculty and investigator offices, and support space. The general contractor for the project, which will include utility infrastructure and parking improvements, is Sundt Construction.

The University of New Mexico is building the third phase of the Domenici Center for Health Science Education in Albuquerque. Designed by Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, the $27.3 million project will house the Interprofessional Healthcare Simulation Center and classrooms for active learning, problem-based learning, and general education. Illuminated by abundant natural light, the three-story, 63,000-nsf facility will support a variety of health science programs including nursing, pharmacy, and physical and occupational therapy.

Hartford HealthCare opened the $150 million Bone & Joint Institute in December of 2016 in Hartford, Conn. As New England’s only orthopedic specialty hospital, the facility comprises two structures and will offer a comprehensive array of musculoskeletal services including preventative care, surgery, and recovery. A 130,000-sf hospital offers eight operating rooms, an outpatient rehabilitation and wellness hub, and 48 private inpatient rooms, with the ability to expand to 60.

The University of Virginia Health System is expanding and renovating its Charlottesville hospital. Designed by Perkins+Will, the LEED Silver project includes construction of a 15-story, 531,000-sf tower and renovation of 86,000 sf of existing space. Site work began in June of 2015, and Skanska USA was awarded the $142 million construction management contract in December of 2016.