(Radio Iowa) – University of Iowa leaders are breaking ground this (3 PM Tuesday) afternoon on a quarter-BILLION dollar building that will eventually be home to three of the U-I’s most popular and top-ranked programs. Rod Lehnertz, the U-I’s senior vice president for finance and operations, says the structure will house Communication Sciences and Disorders, including audiology and speech-language pathology, Health and Human Physiology, and the Carver College of Medicine’s Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Services.

Once complete, Lehnertz says the Health Sciences Academic Building will be a stunning addition to the campus, filled with classrooms, offices, laboratories and more — while also being welcoming to visitors and patients.

The six-story structure will have a modern look, mostly glass merged with a white cast-stone material, located just south of Slater Residence Hall.

The first phase of the 249-million dollar structure should be complete in mid-2025. A U-I news release says the building will be funded through a combination of University Hospitals Building Usage Funds, university investment income, and private donations — with no state funds.