2008 Woodie Awards
New Health Sciences Building is progress for Hospital Hill
Shayne Sprenkle
Issue date: 1/23/06 Section: News
|
It is difficult to find a convenient parking place, heavy construction equipment is surrounded by metal fencing, and one can hardly ignore the enormous yellow crane towering above.
Yet students and University officials both see the temporary inconvenience as small compared to the final product.
"Inconvenience is often a price for progress," said Robert Simmons, director of Campus Facilities Management. "We must concentrate on the Master Plan. The construction of these two facilities will transform the UMKC Hospital Hill location from two traditional-style buildings separated by parking, into a true 'campus' environment with modern facilities, green space and commons."
The Health Sciences Building will open in 2007. The Hospital Hill parking structure is scheduled for completion this fall. The garage, located just east of the School of Medicine across Charlotte St., will provide medical, dental, pharmacy and nursing students with just over 1,200 parking spaces. Future construction will add an additional 600 spaces east of the facility.
"I don't mind the construction," said medical student Marcos Palmeri. "Sure, it's often frustrating, but improvement at Hospital Hill is long overdue. I look forward to its completion."
The first level of the building will be home to a new bookstore, police substation, and space for additional retail. The bookstore currently in use in the School of Dentistry will be relocated to this new street-front location.
"The Health Sciences Building will provide a main entrance for the Hospital Hill campus," said Simmons. "The main floor of the building will house student services including advising office, counseling and career centers, and a convenient café."
Students requested such services during planning of the new facility.
"There was no permanent location for students to access this service at the Hospital Hill location. They were required to travel back to the Volker campus," Simmons said.
