The 245,000-square-foot copper building is the latest addition to the 15-year-old Phoenix Biomedical Campus (PBC), which brings bioresearch and education to the downtown area. BSPB will be the latest facility to do that, as researchers begin to move into the building’s fifth and sixth floors. A joint venture between Sundt Construction and DPR Construction (with offices throughout Arizona) will continue to build out the 10^th floor, which was originally designed as shell space. Los Angeles-based CO Architects and locally based Ayres Saint Gross designed the 10-story facility.

“This building will foster collaborations with scientists that will lead to more cures, better treatments and bring more federal and private dollars to Arizona,” said University of Arizona President Ann Weaver Hart in a statement at last year’s topping out ceremony.

The Center for Applied Nanoscience and Biomedicine will be headquartered in the building, according to Sundt’s website. Researchers in that department have been involved in major discoveries such as the Rapid DNA test, which detects early-stage bacterial infections.

“Completion of this Biomedical Sciences building will allow the University of Arizona to pursue expanded partnerships with industry that we hope will lead to groundbreaking discoveries in the areas of neuroscience, cardiovascular and thoracic science,” said Hart in a statement.

The Arizona Board of Regents approved funding for the $136 million BSPB in 2014 using Stimulus Plan for Economic and Educational Development bonds. Construction on the facility is expected to conclude in about a year.

The building is the seventh development in the expansion of the downtown PBC and expanding academic medical center built by DPR Construction. In 2012, the adjacent Health Sciences Education Building opened, housing health education for the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University.

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