DES MOINES, Iowa—Des Moines University held a public groundbreaking event on September 10 to commemorate the start of construction of its new campus on 88 acres in West Des Moines. The official address is 8025 Grand Avenue.

In a public gathering at the new property, University President and Chief Executive Officer Angela L. Walker Franklin, Ph.D., presided over a ceremony recognizing the beginning of construction on the site. She unveiled detailed renderings of the new campus buildings and grounds.

RDG Planning & Design is the design firm; Turner Construction is the general contractor; and Formation Group is the University’s representative.

Throughout the extensive planning activity, DMU has remained committed to an ambitious timeline that has the University scheduled to occupy the new campus in 2023—that year also marks the 125th anniversary of Des Moines University.

The University made several fascinating discoveries when researching the history of the land that revealed interesting facts about it.

Much of the land, for example, is flat—but gives rise to a hill in the north section. That hillside is what is known to geologists as the “edge of advancement” of what was the Wisconsin Glacier. More than 10,000 years ago it moved south across North America shaping the land as it inched forward.  Specifically, this parcel of land is the product of the Des Moines Lobe of the glacier. It came to rest at the center of this property and created the definition of the hill over the flat expanse of land.

Beyond the land itself, this opportunity to build a new campus is spurring members of the DMU community to think differently, to explore new ways to enhance our curriculum, explore new teaching methods, and expand research activity and clinical services. School officials see this moment of advancement as a rare chance to be innovative, to grow, and to forge new partnerships that will benefit students, faculty, staff and the community.

Founded in 1898, Des Moines University is the only private medical school in Iowa; it offers graduate-level professional degree programs in osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, health care administration, anatomy, biomedical sciences and public health.

The post Des Moines University Breaks Ground on New Campus appeared first on School Construction News.