The College of Nursing will soon begin construction on the brand-new state of the art Croley Nursing Building.
“As we began planning for the original renovation and expansion, we quickly realized our immense growth in enrollment and future projections would require larger classrooms and specialty education spaces,” said Lindsay Burke-Melton, assistant dean of finance, administration, and operations at the college.
The projects $20 million increase comes after the Tennessee General Assembly originally passed the state’s FY21-22 budget for a $65 million renovation and expansion of the current building.
Demand for nurses has skyrocketed over the last several years. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, jobs for registered nurses are growing at 10 times the national average. As our baby boomer population ages and the need for health care grows, there are projected openings for more than 200,000 RNs per year, through 2026.
“This is a very exciting time for the College of Nursing,” said Victoria Niederhauser, dean of the college. “We have well-qualified applicants who are turned-away due to lack of space and a very high demand for nurses in our state. This new and modern facility will allow us to grow to meet the increasing demands of the nursing workforce in Tennessee and beyond.”
The facility will have four stories and feature several unique elements including:
• Enhanced simulations labs, dynamic classroom environments, and student-collaboration areas.
• A large flat floor classroom and pre-function space that will open onto Peyton Manning Pass.
• A student commons space with an adjacent Pod Market.
• An alumni kiosk that will house all the current nursing composite photos.
The college has hired local architectural firm MHM Architects who teamed with a national architect firm Ayers Saint Gross to design the project. Blaine Construction will serve as the construction manager.
The new building will remain nestled between Volunteer Boulevard and Peyton Manning Pass. Its estimated date of completion is fall 2025.
“Our design team is inspired by UT College of Nursing’s Vision, Mission and Values,” said Li Wang, principal from MHM Architects. “We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with the College and UT to create innovative solutions by delivering a state-of-the art Nursing education facility that will welcome students for decades to come.”
For more information on the building project visit: nursing.utk.edu/buildingcampaign/.
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CONTACT:
Kara Clark Cardwell (kmclark2@utk.edu, 865-974-9498)