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

  • Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School has been recognized with an EDS 2025 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

  • Case Study Highlights Texas District’s Campus Security Upgrades

    The Taft Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently partnered with Intech Southwest Services to revamp its campus security technology system, according to a news release. Intech has released a case study on its website detailing the process that advanced the district’s technology by more than 20 years in less than three weeks.

  • University of Kansas Opens $400M Football Stadium Reconstruction

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently announced that the $400-million reconstruction of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is complete in time for the 2025 football season, according to a news release. The university partnered with Turner Construction Company on the project.

  • Inglewood Unified School District Breaks Ground on New High School

    The Inglewood Unified School District in Inglewood, Calif., recently broke ground on a new campus for Inglewood High School, according to a news release. The project has a budget of about $240 million, funding coming through bond proceeds from Measure I.

Digital Edition