Tuskegee University breaks ground on veterinary medicine expansion project
Tuskegee University recently broke ground on two new additions to its College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM). Totaling 104,000 sf, the $18 million expansion project includes a new preclinical building and a new small animal teaching hospital.
The project “will revitalize the TUCVM campus and enhance animal patient health services,” according to a news release.
New Preclinical Building and Small Animal Teaching Hospital
TUCVM aims to increase its current class size from 70 to 80, adding teaching and research faculty, and increasing caseloads for small animal patients, while proportionately increasing administrative, support staff, and space.
The new small animal hospital is designed to be a cutting-edge teaching hospital and will greatly expand TUCVM's clinical capabilities. It will include space for advanced diagnostic and specialty care including modern imaging suites, surgery operating rooms, and intensive care units.
The facility will also consolidate critical support services under one roof, increasing efficiency and faster turnaround times for students and the small animals they treat. A modernized reception and waiting area will ease access for the surrounding Macon County community, which has for decades relied on Tuskegee for animal care that can be hard to find.
“As the practice of veterinary medicine has greatly evolved and care options have expanded, so have the facility requirements for students and patients,” said Flad principal-in-charge Rachel Nelan. “These new facilities will offer students and patients access to state-of-the-art clinical and instructional technology while honoring the rich architectural history of the university.”
The state-of-the-art facility will not create additional debt for the university. The university invested a major portion of a $20 million gift from MacKenzie Scott in 2020, which allowed it to use the interest from that investment for this project.
Founded in 1945, TUCVM has trained over 70% of African American veterinarians in the United States, and currently boasts the most diverse student body among all U.S. colleges of veterinary medicine.
On the Building Team
Owner and/or developer: Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine
Design architect: Flad Architects
Architect of record: Flad Architects
MEP engineer: Newcomb & Boyd
Structural engineer: Flad Structural
General contractor/construction manager: Brasfield & Gorrie/Pylon Building Group (Pylon Building Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brasfield & Gorrie)