Construction began in February 2025, and the $300 million, 330,000-square-foot facility is set to open in August 2027. Construction began in February 2025, and the $300 million, 330,000-square-foot facility is set to open in August 2027. | Photo Credit: The University of South Carolina
By Lindsey Coulter听
COLUMBIA, S.C. 鈥撯��听The University of South Carolina (USC),听has reached a major milestone with the 鈥渢opping out鈥� of the new School of Medicine at the听university鈥檚听Health Sciences Campus in Columbia鈥檚听BullStreet听District.听This marks the placement of a building鈥檚 final structural steel beam.听USC students, staff, and project team members had the opportunity to sign two beams, both of which will be permanently installed and displayed in the building.听
Construction began in February听2025,听and the听$300 million, 330,000-square-foot听facility is set to open in August 2027. The project听represents听a public-private partnership between USC and national听integrated real estate development听construction firm听Gilbane, which is leading听the planning, design,听development听and construction of the project.听Other key project members include BOUDREAUX as lead architect in collaboration with design architect SLAM Collaborative, construction manager partner Cumming, construction manager partner Brownstone Construction听Group听and development consultant Restoration 52.听听听
Upon completion, the new facility will blur the boundaries between interdisciplinary research and medical education, offering听state-of-the-art听classrooms, research labs, medical simulations spaces,听health-sciences library, and collaborative indoor and outdoor learning and event spaces.听
鈥淲e are proud to partner with the University of South Carolina in delivering their new School of Medicine, a significant investment by USC in innovative research and medical education, and the first building on its new Health Sciences Campus鈥澨齭aid听John Keegan,听Senior听Vice听President at Gilbane Development, in a statement. 鈥淭hough public-private partnerships such as this, Gilbane is helping to transform university campuses across the country, developing and building everything from academic and research spaces to student housing to auxiliary facilities.鈥�听
鈥淔or inspiration, the USC School of Medicine Building at the Health Sciences Campus looks back to the legacy of thoughtfully conceived architecture and outdoor spaces on the main campus while simultaneously looking forward to establishing an ecosystem for sustaining state-of-the-art health sciences education and research,鈥澨齛dd听University Architect Derek Gruner.听听鈥淓ducation and interdisciplinary research will be combined under one roof so that each will engage with and contribute to the other through extraordinary classrooms, well-equipped simulation spaces, wet and dry labs, numerous study environments, and dramatic public spaces.鈥�听
The realization of the new听听is one of the key goals of USC Next, a 10-year master plan of proposed improvements and capital projects designed to meet the needs of USC Columbia students, faculty, and staff through 2034.听听The campus will seamlessly integrate with the broader听BullStreet听District, contributing to its vibrant, mixed-use community.听