UNLV offers new plan for construction of medical building
It’s been more than a year since UNLV received $50 million to begin construction on a new medical education building.
The university is now moving forward, but with a new approach.
Phase one will consist of constructing a health sciences library, estimated to be nearly 49,000 square feet, that will be designed to serve students in the medical, dental, nursing and health sciences programs.
“I am extremely comfortable with it,” said Barbara Atkinson, dean of the medical school. “I’m more comfortable seeing it this way than its original form.”
Acting President Marta Meana reported on Friday at the state Board of Regents meeting that the new approach will allow the university to get started with the money that’s on the books now.
The university received an anonymous $25 million donation as a match to the $25 million in state funds approved at the close of the 2017 legislative session. Earlier this year, regents raised concerns after university officials reported that the entire medical education building could cost more than $230 million.
The new approach must be approved by the state’s Interim Finance Committee on Oct. 24. Meana believes the library project supports the spirit of the senate bill that authorized the funds, and that it will allow the school to meet the objective of expanding School of Medicine class capacity beyond 60 students per cohort.
Students are currently being taught in renovated space on the university’s Shadow Lane campus.
The first phase is expected to begin in October 2019, with a completion date of late 2021, Meana said. The library will include instruction rooms and open study spaces. It carries a preliminary price tag of $57 million, but rising construction costs could increase that amount.
Earlier in the meeting, Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Thom Reilly reported that the costs for three other proposed construction projects had risen “considerably” from just a few months ago. For example, the board is asking the governor’s office for money to build a new building at Nevada State College to support its education programs. The estimated cost for that building has risen from $40 million to $70 million.
Board Chairman Kevin Page said an increase in the cost of materials, a labor shortage and competition with other major projects is to blame.
Meanwhile, UNLV is continuing fundraising efforts for the second phase of the medical education project — the medical teaching and education building — which is projected to cost $182 million and be privately funded. It will take nearly 5 years to complete.
According to the feasibility study, project two will include clinical skills, simulation and virtual anatomy labs; classroom space; lecture halls; and administration offices.
“I think it (the library) will give our fundraising more momentum, and it means that when we do secure the funds to do the second building, we will have a fully functioning library that can be used by students in all of the health disciplines,” Meana said. “I’m having very positive conversations. I’m optimistic, and I think that starting this project now, and seeing progress on this front, is only going to spur people to come onto the project when they see it happening.”
In other action on Friday, the board finalized its $1.5 billion operating budget request which will be sent to Gov. Brian Sandoval’s office on Aug. 31. If approved, it will bring the system to pre-recession funding levels.
“I think this is a milestone,” said Chet Burton, chief financial officer for NSHE. “The finish line is in sight. At the end of the day, I think we have a very strong budget.”
The 2019 to 2021 biennial request includes $120 in new money for higher education, with the largest price tag being $41.3 million to support enrollment growth at the institutions. In addition, the request includes a new summer school initiative which would fund summer courses for high-demand fields, and $14.3 million to ramp staffing levels at UNLV’s medical school to full capacity. It would bring the state’s total investment in the School of Medicine to $72 million.
Contact Natalie Bruzda at nbruzda@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3897. Follow @NatalieBruzda on Twitter.