Spokane is getting a new center for medical education, health sciences and innovation, with the announcement today of the construction of an 80,000-square-foot building at 840 E. Spokane Falls Blvd. The building will serve as the new home for the University of Washington School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Regional Health Partnership.
McKinstry will develop, design, build and manage the four-story facility for use by the UW and Gonzaga University.
The two universities have each committed to enter into long-term lease agreements for use of space in the facility. At an estimated cost of $60 million, the privately funded project leverages and expands a public-private partnership to reduce risk, expedite completion and save taxpayers money.
"Working together, we are creating better access to health care for the patients and communities in Washington who need it most," said UW President Ana Mari Cauce.
"With help from McKinstry, the UW School of Medicine's partnership with Gonzaga is poised for a crucial leap forward. We couldn't be more excited about what this means for medical education and care across our state."
"When we formed the Partnership in the spring of 2016, it was the intention of both partners that a new facility be part of our collective future," noted Thayne McCulloh, president of Gonzaga University. "In fulfilling our promise to each other, to our students, and to our community and region, we have reaffirmed our long-term commitment to broadening the array of health-related education and research endeavors, and to preparing the next generation of health-care professionals here in Spokane and the Inland Northwest."
The project brings to life the vision of McKinstry CEO Dean Allen and Spokane community leaders to develop a llife sciences industry cluster. Like the Catalyst building energy cluster under construction as part of the nearby South Landing development, this effort is expected to spur growth through innovation and collaboration between academia and industry.
"The RHP building will benefit the dynamic faculty and students of Gonzago and the University of Washington while creating an innovative hub that expands Spokane's research capabilities through collaboration with local companies and non-profits focused on delivering rural health-care access in our region and beyond," said Allen. "The building itself will be a model of efficiency in the build environment and will demonstrate that important buildings in our community can also be gentle on our environment and serve as exemplars for others to follow."
and award-winning Spokane Inland Empire Railroad building and Gonzaga's Trent Avenue parking facility. The SIERR will become part of the health-care innovation cluster. It will offer an additional 57,000 square feet of space for health science and medical industry leaders, startups and nonprofits.
Students will enjoy state-of-the-art teaching classrooms, anatomy labs, research and innovation centers, offices and study spaces planned for the new facility, with room to grow additional education programs and to embark on shared research projects.
UW programs including the Foundations phase - the first 18 months of the UW School of Medicine's medical education program - and the MEDEX Northwest physician assistant education program, will relocate to the building from their current home in the Schoenberg Center on Gonzaga's campus. Gonzaga University's Department of Human Physiology, part of the School of Nursing & Human Physiology, will also relocate to the new facility.
"This new building for health sciences education illustrates the strength of our partnership with Gonzaga," said Paul Ramsey, UW Medicine CEO, executive vice president for medical affairs, and dean of the UW School of Medicine. "Along with more space for our medical students and room to expand our class size, we are excited about the integrated education possibilities with other health sciences disciplines. We are grateful to McKinstry for helping to make this vision a reality."
The planned facility fulfills a key component of the 2016 agreement creating the Partnership and the institutions' shared mission to continue, enhance and expand medical education and research in Spokane. The partners originally committed to explore new facilities to educate and train health care professionals to serve patients across the state of Washington and beyond.
Since launching the partnership, Spokane has emerged as a top choice for medical students entering the UW School of Medicine. Approximately 220 first- and second-year (Foundation Phase) studnets have studied on the Gonzaga University campus, and 85 MEDEX Northwest physician assistant students have completed their studies. Medical students report enjoying being part of Gonzaga's campus community, and the medical school continues to attract more applicants that ever before.
About the UW School of Medicine/Gonzaga University Regional Health Partnership
In 2016 the University of Washington and Gonzaga University formed a Regional Health Partnership to continue, enhance and expand medical education and research in Spokane. The agreement makes Gonzaga a partner in the University of Washington's nationally recognized, regional medical education program, WWAMI (an acronym for the states it serves: Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho), and set in motion plans to advance health-related research, entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary health sciences teaching in Spokane.
About McKinstry
McKinstry is a national leader in designing, constructing, operating and maintaining high-performing buildings. From new construction and ongoing operations to adaptive reuse and energy retrofits, the company provides a single point of accountability across the entire building lifecycle. McKinstry focuses on people and outcomes to ensure the built environment serves owners, operators and occupants alike. McKinstry is your trusted partner for the life of your building. Learn more at www.McKinstry.com.
