Architectural rendering of Biomedical and Health Sciences Building, followed by photos of removal of contaminated dirt on site. Photos by Doug Nadvornick, WSU Spokane.
SPOKANE, Wash. Washington State University will hold groundbreaking ceremony for its Biomedical and Health Sciences Building, 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, on the Riverpoint Campus
The building is designed to accommodate medical education and a consolidated WSU College of Pharmacy.
The ceremony will be held on the lawn between the Health Sciences Building and the Academic Center, just east of the Nursing Building. The formal program will run from 2-3 p.m.
Speakers
The program will include remarks by:
- Gov. Christine Gregoire
- Sen. Lisa Brown (D-3rd)
- Sen. Michael Baumgartner (R-6th)
- Spokane Mayor Mary Verner
- WSU President Elson S. Floyd
- WSU Vice Provost for Health Sciences and Dean of the WSU College of Pharmacy Gary Pollack
- WSU Spokane Chancellor Brian Pitcher
- Students from pharmacy, medicine, nursing, and health policy and administration
-
Paul Ramsey, M.D., CEO of UW Medicine and dean of the University of Washington School of Medicine
Funding still needed
The 2011 Washington Legislature allocated $35 million for the building, about half the funding needed to complete it. Wednesday’s event will allow the community to celebrate this accomplishment and build the momentum needed to complete this important project.
WSU will join Spokane business and civic leaders in asking legislators for funding to finish the project. The university is currently in a capital campaign and is also seeking private donor support for equipment, research labs, and other elements in the building.
WWAMI classrooms
The new building will provide classrooms and office space for faculty and students of the WWAMI medical education program, a program jointly administered in eastern Washington by WSU and the University of Washington. WWAMI stands for Washington Wyoming Alaska Montana Idaho, the five-state region served by the UW School of Medicine. Plans are under development for addition of the second year of medical school at the Riverpoint Campus, which would make all four years of medical education available in Spokane.
College of Pharmacy
The medical education program will share the building with students and faculty of WSU’s College of Pharmacy, which is split between Pullman and Spokane. When the building is done, Pharmacy will consolidate its offices and lab space in Spokane, adding to the growing academic health science center.
Contaminated dirt removed
For the last few weeks, crews have been removing contaminated dirt and ash to prepare the site for construction. The building will sit on land that once served as a railroad yard. The excavation is scheduled to be finished in late October; foundation work will then begin.
The $35-million appropriation will enable construction of the building shell and some interior work on the three-story 125,000-square-foot building. NBBJ Architects designed the building, which is being constructed by Graham Construction.
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Media contact:
Barb Chamberlain, WSU Spokane director of communications and public affairs, 509-358-7527(w), 509-869-2949 (c); chamberlain@wsu.edu