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Groundbreaking
ceremony
marks 'new era of discovery'
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Charles
Durham, left,
and Dr. Harold Maurer, M.D., at the site of the new Research Center
of Excellence. |
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 the May 22, 2001 groundbreaking
ceremony were Gov. Mike Johanns and representatives from the University
of Nebraska, the Omaha business community, the University of Nebraska
Foundation, Nebraska Health System, the City of Omaha and the UNMC research
community.
Selected
speakers at the 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.
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Regent Nancy O'Brien visits with
Gov. Mike Johanns before the May
22 groundbreaking.
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"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," he said. 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
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.
Click
here to watch the groundbreaking ceremony (30 minutes).
Click
here to listen to audio sound bites from the groundbreaking ceremony.
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