OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Creighton University's School of Medicine will be getting a new home in the near future.
On Wednesday afternoon, Creighton broke ground on the CL Werner Center for Health Sciences. The new home for the School of Medicine will serve 5,900 students and faculty members in its five stories.
The facility is named after long-time Creighton supporters CL and Rachel Werner, who are helping to financially support the $75 million project.
The Werners were two of many invited for the ceremonial groundbreaking.
“I thank Father for getting me involved in it," CL said of Creighton President, Rev. Daniel Hendrickson. "I can’t help him a lot, other than to give him money. So he’s on his own. He’s got to build this.”
The building will include a skywalk being built for $10 million, which will connect it to the Criss Complex located to the south. This will create an inter-professional hub for those going into the field of medicine.
Morgan Noel, a second-year medical student, says she will have graduated by the time the facility is finished, but she knows first-hand how the hub could benefit future students.
“It will be a place for students to network, have access to better mentorships, and a place to build careers," Noel said.
Rev. Hendrickson says the new facility will help continue Creighton’s legacy of producing well-rounded and compassionate medical professionals.
“It is with great hope and great humility that Creighton University greatly acknowledges your generosity and commits to not only constructing a beautiful technology-rich educational facility but also to the formation of compassionate, highly qualified healthcare professionals who will graduate ready and eager to serve their patients and their communities," said Rev. Hendrickson.
Gov. Pete Ricketts and Mayor Jean Stothert both spoke at the ceremony, praising the school of medicine for the professionals it has provided to the community.
The project located near 27th and Cuming is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2023.
The university says the project will create 1,070 jobs during construction, with a $3.2 million impact on state and local taxes.
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