DPR Construction • Sundt Construction, Inc., Joint Venture (DPR-Sundt, JV) and the University of Arizona College of Medicine celebrated a construction milestone on March 3, when the final beam was placed atop the new 10-story Biomedical Sciences Partnership Building in downtown Phoenix.

Located on the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix campus, the 245,000-sq.-ft. research building will be a hub for healthcare and scientific innovation when it opens in early 2017.

“This building will foster collaborations with scientists that will lead to more cures, better treatments and bring more federal and private dollars to Arizona,” said University of Arizona President Ann Weaver Hart. “All are central to the goals of the Never Settle commitment at the University of Arizona.”

“Phoenix and U of A are one step closer to our vision of creating a truly world-class and cutting-edge bioscience hub in our downtown,” said Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton. “The Biomedical Sciences Partnership Building will be a vital piece of that plan that will take translational research, healthcare, medical education and our economy in exciting new directions.”

The Center for Applied Nanoscience and Biomedicine will be headquartered in the building. Researchers at the Center are already making cutting-edge discoveries, such as the Rapid DNA test, which detects early-stage bacterial infections. The Center’s interdisciplinary approach aims for early diagnostics of human diseases.

“Completion of this Biomedical Sciences building will allow the University of Arizona to pursue expanded partnerships with industry that we hope will lead to groundbreaking discoveries in the areas of neuroscience, cardiovascular and thoracic science,” said Hart.

Funding for the $136 million building was approved by the Arizona Board of Regents in 2014 using Stimulus Plan for Economic and Educational Development bonds. Nearly 500 jobs in design and construction were created during the buildout, and another 360 permanent jobs are expected to be created in healthcare, education and biosciences once the building opens next year.

The joint venture DPR-Sundt Construction, Inc., managed construction for the project, which was designed by CO Architects of Los Angeles and Ayres Saint Gross of Phoenix.

The building is the seventh development in the steady expansion of the downtown Phoenix Biomedical Campus (PBC) and expanding academic medical center built by DPR Construction. In 2012, the award-winning sister building to the BSPB, Health Sciences Education Building opened, housing health education for the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University.

About The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix

The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix admitted its inaugural class of first-year medical students in August 2007 and currently has 320 students training to be physicians. The College inspires and trains exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to optimize health and health care in Arizona and beyond. The College of Medicine – Phoenix is uniquely positioned to accelerate the biomedical and economic engines in Phoenix and the State by leveraging vital relationships with key clinical and community partners. For more, visit phoenixmed.arizona.edu.

About DPR-Sundt Construction

The DPR Construction • Sundt Construction, Inc., Joint Venture (DPR-Sundt, JV) is a seasoned, award-winning life science and healthcare building team. The DPR-Sundt team’s proven track record unites each company’s individual ideas and experiences, while continually streamlining processes, and developing new methodology and technology for building one-of-a-kind life science, laboratory/research, healthcare, and higher education projects throughout Arizona. With a construction team committed to sustainability and more than 130 LEED-accredited professionals on staff in the Southwest, together the DPR-Sundt team most recently completed the multi-award-winning LEED New Construction Gold certified Health Science Education Building on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus.