University of Kentucky Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Health Education Building

The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently broke ground on its new Health Education Building, according to a news release. The 500,000-square-foot facility will be the largest academic building in university history and house programs from the colleges of medicine, health sciences and nursing, and public health, as well as the Center for Interprofessional and Community Health Education. The building is projected to open in 2026.

The building’s north wing will stand ten stories tall and the south wing eight stories. The news release reports that 77% of its interior space will be for academic, shared, and collaborative spaces for faculty and students; of that, 25% will be classroom space and learning labs, while 34% will be for simulations and experiential learning.

“As a testament to our collaborative spirit, this one facility will contain programs from four colleges and the Center for Interprofessional and Community Health Education. We will educate students for a new healthcare future, collaborate through transdisciplinary work, and attract and retain the best and brightest to advance Kentucky,” said University President Eli Capilouto. “Our goal—our promise—is that when our students complete these programs and join the workforce, they are well-equipped to face today’s complex challenges and help all Kentuckians live longer and healthier lives.”

The long-term goal of the building’s construction is to address the shortage of healthcare providers in Kentucky. The facility will allow the College of Medicine to increase enrollment from 138 students per year to 200 per year; allow the College of Nursing to double its enrollment by more than 350 students; allow the College of Public Health to increase its enrollment by more than 30%; and allow the Center for Interprofessional and Community Health Education to impact more than 50% more students per year, the news release reports.

“Education is the foundation for how we prepare tomorrow’s leaders, and that is what will propel Kentucky into the future,” said Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman. “This investment will eliminate barriers to success, increase opportunities for students and help us achieve our goal of a quality education for every Kentuckian.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • New Jersey Day School Opens New Science & Entrepreneurship Building

    Saddle River Day School (SRDS) in Saddle River, N.J., recently celebrated the grand opening of the new Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science & Entrepreneurship, according to a news release. The school partnered with DIG Architecture on the 32,000 square foot facility, completed on a 17-month construction timeline in time for the beginning of the new school year.

  • Auburn University Debuts $224M STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., recently opened its new $224-million STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex, the largest research construction project in the university’s history, according to university news. The facility measures more than 265,000 square feet and brings six departments from the College of Agriculture and College of Sciences and Mathematics together under one roof.

  • UPenn Announces Completion of New Veterinary Education Facility

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently finished construction on an 11,800-square-foot veterinary education building, according to a news release. The Gail P. Riepe Center for Advanced Veterinary Education is the first dedicated classroom facility at the New Bolton Center, a large-animal hospital and campus about 35 miles west of the campus proper.

  • Photo courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

    Concordia College Completes Memorial Auditorium Renovations

    Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., recently completed a $2.5-million renovation project to Memorial Auditorium, a news release reports. The college partnered with Kraus-Anderson for the project’s construction and ICON Architectural Group for its design.