Medical school breaks ground on $5M expansionBy Molly RosbachYakima Herald-Republic

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences is breaking ground this morning on a 22,000-square-foot expansion that's set to be completed by next summer.

The $5 million "Phase II" addition to Butler-Haney Hall has been planned since the university was first founded, and is being paid for by donors, like the rest of the school. The added space is required for the medical school to receive full accreditation and to expand its current 75-student enrollment by up to 60 students per class.

"Phase II was always planned, from the time we built Phase I. We probably would have built it much earlier, except for the economy changing," said Dr. Lloyd Butler, president of PNWU. "Now, we're in the wonderful position where the school and the community support are ready for us to complete this Phase II expansion in preparation for our request to increase our enrollment."

So far, about $1.5 million is paid for: $1 million from the Osteopathic Foundation of Central Washington and more than $500,000 from community donations. School officials expect to have the full cost of the building raised by August 2013.

The expansion is set to be finished next May followed by some separate remodeling on the interior of Butler-Haney Hall during the summer.

Loofburrow Wetch Architects worked on the building design for much of the past year, and the project went out to local contractors to bid in mid-April. In mid-May, G H Moen LLC was selected for the job.

In the addition, the school will have two new, 150-seat auditorium classrooms, which open up to form one 300-seat classroom. There will also be more office space for professors and support staff, a small prep kitchen and additional student spaces, such as an atrium, a food vending area and several bathrooms.

"This expansion will allow us to better meet our mission of producing primary care physicians for the Pacific Northwest," Butler said.

The added space will also make it easier for the university to host community functions and hold classes for continuing medical education, which all providers must take to stay up to date on new and developing medical procedures and technologies.

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Medical school breaks ground on $5M expansion