The future is here: CLSB breaks ground
Collaborative Life Sciences Building
What's Inside?
- Skourtes Tower: New cutting-edge learning space and clinic for the OHSU School of Dentistry to replace aging facilities on Marquam Hill
- PSU’s biology and chemistry lectures and laboratories
- Education space for OHSU’s medical students (MS1-2) and dental students (DS1-4), physician assistants and radiation technologists
- OSU’s College of Pharmacy (3rd year of joint OSU/OHSU program)
- A state-of-the-art simulation center where clinical teams (doctors, nurses, PAs, staff ) train side-by-side
- OHSU Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine
- Labs for research in basic and applied science and engineering
- Shared instrumentation labs with electron microscopy, NMR and other specialized, sophisticated instrumentation
OHSU Program Impacts
- Increases medical school class from 120 to 160 students
- Increases dental school class from 75 to 90 students
- Provides capacity to increase physician assistant program class size
from 40 to 50 students - Provides capacity to increase the pharmacy program from 90 to
115 students
Timeline
- Groundbreaking: October 2011
- Opening: August 2013 for PSU Fall term
- Full completion by Spring 2014 for OHSU and OHSU research and academic programs
Oct. 13 Groundbreaking Ceremony
True to its name, the Oct. 13 groundbreaking ceremony for the OUS/OHSU Collaborative Life Sciences Building (CLSB) brought together a throng of supporters from the fields of education, government, research and philanthropy. OHSU leaders, students, staff and friends gathered on the site of the future OUS/OHSU building to hear from – among others – Gov. John Kitzhaber, President Joe Robertson and Schnitzer family representative Carol Lewis. Video of the event is available on the OHSU News blog.
Gov. Kitzhaber, MD ’73, regaled the crowd with memories of his time as a medical student here, and spoke of the value of the collaborative spirit behind the creation of the CLSB. “This construction project alone will create the equivalent of 250 full time jobs,” said Governor Kitzhaber. “This is just the beginning of the economic benefits - down the road, we will realize the advantages of the highly educated workforce it will help us to produce and it will firm up Oregon’s place as a leader in innovation, research, and science.”
The governor then turned the microphone over to emcee Brian Garvey, third-year medical student and Swindells Family Scholar, who commented on the many roles a physician must play in today’s world. While initially daunting, the native Oregonian said he’s excited for the future.
“I grew up learning about Oregon exceptionalism. I came to learn that our values are different here,” said Garvey. “We question, we innovate, we lead, and now, with the groundbreaking of this new building, we do all of those things together, as a sort of grand interprofessional collaboration, we do it as a team.”
President Robertson thanked the many people involved in the project and introduced Carol Lewis, who spoke on behalf of the Schnitzer family. She recalled memories of her family offices which sat on the same plot of land, and assured attendees that her family is proud to be part of this historic moment.
The event culminated with a ceremonial groundbreaking among project sponsors and guests. The 480,000 gross square foot CLSB will include lecture halls, classrooms, labs, specialty research centers, School of Dentistry facilities, and offices for health professionals and undergraduate and graduate education involving students and instructors from multiple institutions.
Pictured at bottom: Dr. Robertson greets Carol Lewis