Roanoke Health Sciences Building

Planning efforts for Radford University’s new academic health sciences building in Roanoke are actively underway, with several key milestones already completed and more opportunities for engagement ahead.

Last week, program questionnaires were distributed to department chairs, program directors and support units. These questionnaires are a critical first step in the discovery process, helping the design team better understand the specific needs, space requirements and future goals of each academic and operational area. Responses were due on April 8, and broad participation is essential to ensure the building reflects the full scope of our programs.

The project officially launched the Building Design Committee and Steering Committee on April 9, marking an important step in a highly collaborative planning process. While these committees will help guide decision-making and ensure alignment with the university’s strategic vision and operational needs, faculty and staff across the university will play a vital role in shaping the building’s design. A series of work groups will be formed to gather broad input on key spaces, such as classrooms, skills labs and simulation centers, gathering areas and offices, providing meaningful opportunities for faculty and staff to share their perspectives and help inform the future of this facility.

Below are the members of each committee who met on April 9:

Building Design Committee

Member	Title
Jorge Coartney	Associate Vice President for Facilities Management, Radford University
Rob Hoover	Senior Vice President for Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer, Radford University
Bethany Usher	Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Radford University
TBD	Assistant Vice President for Health Sciences, Radford University
Margie Vest	Assistant Vice President for Roanoke Business Operations, Radford University
Wendy Downey	Dean, College of Nursing, Radford University
Ken Cox	Dean, Waldron College, Radford University
Steven Bachrach	Dean, Artis College of Science & Technology
Paul Ely	Director for Capital Planning and COnstruction, Radford University
Michelle Franklin	Senior Vice President, Carilion Clinic
Stephen Lovern	Vice President of Hospital Operations, Carilion Clinic

Steering Committee

Member	Title
Rob Hoover	Senior Vice President for Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer, Radford University
Bethany Usher	Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Radford University
Jorge Coartney	Associate Vice President for Facilities Management, Radford University
TBD	Assistant Vice President for Health Sciences, Radford University
Margie Vest	Assistant Vice President for Roanoke Business Operations, Radford University
Mike Abbott	President, Carilion Clinic

Looking ahead, the Perkins & Will project team will be on campus from Tuesday, April 14 through Thursday, April 16 to conduct tours of existing facilities on both the main campus and in Roanoke, including Radford University Carilion (RUC) and the Roanoke Higher Education Center. In addition, the team will work directly with individual programs to schedule dedicated times to review questionnaire responses, meet with departmental representatives and tour program-specific spaces. They will also host an open information session for all employees on Tuesday, April 14, from 2-3 p.m. at RUC in Room 617 or via Zoom at:
https://radford.zoom.us/j/91971307238
Passcode: 221632

Insights gathered from the tours and the information session will provide critical context as the architects and engineers begin translating program needs into initial design concepts. Faculty and staff engagement remains a priority during this phase. Later in April, an online survey will be distributed to gather input on current space use, satisfaction levels, and priorities for the new facility, helping to shape its overall vision and guiding principles.

As planning continues, additional opportunities for input and updates will be shared with the campus community. Your engagement is vital to creating a facility that supports innovative teaching, research, and collaboration for years to come.

For more information, contact Margie Vest, Assistant Vice President for Business Operations, or Paul Ely, Director of Capital Planning and Construction.

The Star City has been home to Radford University programs for over two decades. Radford’s Nursing program has trained students in the Roanoke Valley for many years and in 2010, Radford’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program relocated to Roanoke.

In 2019, Carilion Clinic’s Jefferson College of Health Sciences merged into Radford University forming Radford University Carilion (RUC), which resulted in one of the largest nursing programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Both the DPT program and RUC are located in Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital in downtown Roanoke, with the university’s College of Nursing and other programs offered at the Roanoke Higher Education Center.

This month, planning will begin on a new building that is expected to bring all of Radford University’s Roanoke-based healthcare programs under one roof in state-of-the-art classrooms, innovative labs and simulation centers, and other flexible learning spaces. The university is partnering with architecture and engineering firm Perkins & Will on the initial design and planning phase for the new building.

Garnering the input of employees and students who will be working and learning in the new building is vital, and we would like to capture their initial input before many of them begin summer break. With that in mind, the project team will invite a broad representation of people from across the university to participate in the initial design-planning process, which will include a visioning survey, informational questionnaire, needs assessment interviews, town hall meetings and workshop sessions. This inclusive approach will ensure we capture the best ideas from a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives and areas of expertise.

This work is expected to begin in the coming days, so you may see groups of representatives from Radford University and Perkins & Will on both the Roanoke and main campuses, touring spaces and gathering information. In addition, surveys and questionnaires will be distributed via email to various stakeholders as part of the information gathering phase. Many details about the new building are not yet available with the planning process just beginning; the university will share updates as the project progresses in this newsletter as well as in a new section of our website currently in development.

For more information, contact Margie Vest, Assistant Vice President for Business Operations, or Paul Ely, Director of Capital Planning and Construction.