The University of Iowa is looking to construct a 263,000-square-foot health sciences academic building, pending Board of Regents approval to proceed June 13-14.
Located near Gerdin Hall and Slater Residence Hall, the $249 million project budget would allow the university to construct a six-story building to accommodate the Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health and Human Physiology, and Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences departments, according to documents that will be presented next week.
It will include a mechanical penthouse, shared open green space, and academic, research, administrative and clinical spaces.
Construction on the Communication Sciences and Disorders wing would begin this summer, with an expected completion date by summer 2025. The building will be entirely finished by summer 2026.
“All three programs support the training of Iowa’s future health care workforce, and have demand for program growth, which is not supported by their current facilities,” the documents state. “Co-locating these programs would support collaboration between students, faculty and staff of each program, and harness shared university resources, including classrooms, conferencing space and building support space.”
This is one of several projects that will enable the university to construct its highly anticipated, $621 million inpatient bed tower. It will accommodate more than 30,000 hospital care visits and 50,000 emergency department visits each year.
The three departments will be relocated from the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center, the Medical Education Building and the Field House.
The Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center will be razed, pending Board of Regents approval. A separate health sciences research facility will replace the Medical Education Building.
Razing the South Quadrangle, Pride Alliance Center and the current speech and hearing center will cost the university $11,535,000. Demolition is expected to be complete this summer.
Funds for the health sciences building would come from the University Hospital Building Usage Funds, Treasurer’s Temporary Investment Income and UI Facility Corporation bond proceeds.
