A campaign to fund the renovation of a downtown Salina building into the new home for the University of Kansas School of Medicines Salina campus has exceeded its original $7.5 million goal, representatives of the Salina Regional Health Foundation announced Tuesday. <\/p>\n
Campaign contributions totaling more than $7.6 million have been received, but contributions continue to be sought to ensure that the expenses of the renovation of the former bank building at 138 N. Santa Fe can all be met, said Tom Martin, executive director of the foundation. <\/p>\n
The campaign goal was set during the planning stages, and it was based on projections and estimates, Martin said. We hope its realistic, but its inevitable in construction that things come up that werent anticipated, and there are changes and revisions. <\/p>\n
Martin said the Blueprint for Rural Health campaign, which received a $2 million lead gift from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation as well as a large anonymous gift from a Salina couple, has had strong support. He said the project is important for Salina, and also for rural areas of the state that are medically underserved. Of the first 16 students to graduate from the program, 11 have entered primary care residencies and most plan to practice in Kansas. Graduates already have committed to establish practices in Salina, Quinter and Phillipsburg and there will be more to follow, Martin said. <\/p>\n
Martin said the two biggest determinants of where doctors decide to establish their practices are where they came from and where they went to medical school. <\/p>\n
Salina is relatively small, and the majority of students here are coming from rural areas, he said. Its a lifestyle and background they are familiar with. <\/p>\n
He said many donors to the campaign saw it as a commitment to addressing physician shortages in rural Kansas. Ninety-seven of the states 105 counties are considered medically underserved, and 34 counties reported two or fewer primary care physicians in 2013. <\/p>\n
The campaign was like none other that Ive been involved with, in terms of the widespread support and the time of it, Martin said. To do that within a years time means that an awful lot of people stepped up to the plate and contributed. I just think this is such an exciting project and program for Salina in so many ways. <\/p>\n
The new facility expected to be complete in the spring of 2018 will provide 40,251 square feet of space, more than doubling the current campus size to accommodate small group work and different types of classroom and lab space needed in a new curriculum that is being implemented. The additional space also accommodates possible future expansion of class sizes, currently capped at eight students per year, and could house a nursing school, said Dr. William Cathcart-Rake, dean of the Salina campus. <\/p>\n
Were pretty thrilled with whats going to happen, Cathcart-Rake said. Its cleaned up really, really nice. <\/p>\n
Cathcart-Rake visited the former Bank of America building Tuesday afternoon to see the progress that has been made so far in demolition and asbestos-abatement efforts at the site. Looking at the large, empty space, he pointed out where classrooms, lab space, study carousels and other features of the new medical school will be. He said the large vault door will be retained, with offices to be in the space where money was once stored. <\/p>\n
Eventually, he said the mobile bank area and drive through behind the building will be removed, and two tunnels that lead from the main building to that area will be filled in. That will clear more space for parking. <\/p>\n
With the demolition phase nearing an end, subcontractors were visiting the building Tuesday in preparation for submitting bids for various aspects of the construction job. Cathcart-Rake said hed been told that in the next two or three weeks the bids will be in and well have an idea how far the money will go. <\/p>\n
All the electricals out. All the heating and air conditionings out. Its going to have brand new electrical from the panel, water, plumbing, new HVAC system, Cathcart-Rake said. Basically what youre looking at is an empty building gutted back to the studs. <\/p>\n
Busboom and Rauh Construction, of Salina, is serving as general contractor for the construction portion of the project, and Donnie Marrs with DMA Architects, of Salina, is providing architectural services. <\/p>\n
The Salina Regional Health Foundation will own the building, which the foundation will renovate, furnish and equip, and the foundation will allow the school to use the space rent-free, Martin said. Classes will relocate to the new school site in time for the July beginning of the 2018-19 school year. <\/p>\n
When the KU-Salina campus first opened in July 2011 in the Braddick Building to the north of Salina Regional Health Center, Salina became the smallest community in North America to host a four-year medical school, Martin said. That is still true, he said. <\/p>\n
Where else could this get accomplished but Salina? Martin said. It speaks well of our community and region. <\/p>\n
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Originally posted here:<\/p>\n
Campaign to pay for renovation of downtown site of KU medical school reaches goal - Salina Journal (subscription)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A campaign to fund the renovation of a downtown Salina building into the new home for the University of Kansas School of Medicines Salina campus has exceeded its original $7.5 million goal, representatives of the Salina Regional Health Foundation announced Tuesday. Campaign contributions totaling more than $7.6 million have been received, but contributions continue to be sought to ensure that the expenses of the renovation of the former bank building at 138 N. Continue reading