The University of Nebraska Medical Center has embarked on the most extensive
construction period in its history with three multi-million projects: a
$77 million Research Center of Excellence, a $19 million parking garage
and an $11.8 million utility plant.
Joining UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., for today’s groundbreaking
ceremony were Gov. Mike Johanns and representatives from the University
of Nebraska, the Omaha business community, the University of Nebraska Foundation,
the Nebraska Health System, the City of Omaha and the UNMC research community.
Selected speakers at today’s ceremony paid tribute to generous private
contributions that have been made toward these facilities and acknowledged
the special public/private partnership that fosters this type of growth.
“Today we’re entering a new era of discovery at UNMC,” Dr. Maurer said.
“The Research Center of Excellence will put us one step closer to our vision
of becoming a world-class health sciences center and to our goal of ranking
among the leading research centers. With the support of our state, our
city, our community, and our faculty and staff, we are truly building a
healthy future.
“We salute the very special individuals in our community and state who
have demonstrated tremendous support for UNMC and the important work of
our researchers.”
Honored at the ceremony for their gifts toward this project were: the
Charles W. Durham family, the Peter Kiewit Foundation, William and Ruth
Scott, Richard and Mary Holland, the Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Memorial
Foundation, and Leonard and Shirley Goldstein.
The 284-000-square-foot Research Center of Excellence will create a
research mall on the west end of the UNMC campus at 45th Street between
Dewey Avenue and Emile Street. The center will be located on the former
site of the University Geriatric Center, which was demolished earlier this
month. The 10-level research center will include 116 research laboratories,
a 225-seat auditorium and 15 classrooms or conference rooms.
“This new building is important to UNMC, the state and the nation because
it will be home to talented researchers whose novel ideas will impact our
future health,” said Charles S. Wilson, M.D., chairman of the University
of Nebraska Board of Regents.
The research center will enable UNMC to enhance its research in a number
of areas including cancer; cardiovascular diseases; developmental biology;
genetics and molecular genetics; neurobiology; and organ transplantation
biology. Completion of the building is scheduled for 2003.
“Today, we are here to celebrate as UNMC takes another step forward
in the area of research,” said Walter Scott Jr., chairman emeritus of Peter
Kiewit Sons’, Inc. “The discoveries made in this new facility will touch
all Nebraskans and the nation and most importantly, mean a better, healthier
life for our children.
“In addition to better health, UNMC’s research programs also have had
a significant economic impact on this state. UNMC has attracted more than
$40 million of outside research funding that has been the source of new
jobs and, in some cases, new business.”
A researcher himself, University of Nebraska President L. Dennis Smith,
Ph.D., recognizes the value of state-of-the-art laboratory space. “To do
science today, and do it right, you must have quality space and equipment.
This building will give UNMC the edge it needs as it moves into the 21st
century.”
Gov. Johanns and the Nebraska Legislature have been strong supporters
of biomedical research. “This new facility will help Nebraska stay on the
cutting edge by recruiting and retaining the best scientific minds and
bringing additional federal and private research funding to the state,”
Gov. Johanns said. “I am proud of our role in helping UNMC’s vision become
reality.”
The Legislature passed and Gov. Johanns recently signed LB692, which
allocates $50 million annually to various health-care programs in Nebraska.
Under the leadership of the governor and Sen. Doug Kristensen of Minden,
$10 million will be allocated annually in the next two years to UNMC, the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Creighton University and Boys Town National
Research Hospital. The research institutions allocation will increase
to $12 million annually in the third and fourth years and to $14 million
annually thereafter.
The new employee parking structure will rise on the south side of Emile
Street between 44th and 45th streets, thanks in part to an undisclosed
gift. Other funds will come from an Omaha Public Power District lease agreement
and parking fees. Nearly 1,500 parking stalls will be provided within the
structure, compared to about 750 stalls in the patient/visitor parking
structure at 45th and Emile streets. Completion of the parking structure
is scheduled for 2002.
The 17,400-gross-square-foot utility plant will be built at 40th Street
and Dewey Avenue to supplement the existing central utility plant on Emile
Street. The new plant will provide opportunities for improvements in energy
costs and efficiencies to increase system reliability and provide capacity
to serve new campus loads. Construction will begin later this spring and
end in August 2002.