University of Kentucky leadership, state leaders and Turner Construction hosted a ceremonial “topping out” celebration last week for UK’s new Michael D. Rankin MD Health Education Building.
The building will house programs in the colleges of Medicine, Public Health, Health Sciences and Nursing as well as the Center for Interprofessional and Community Health Education.
Construction began October 2023 on the 509,000-square-foot facility located at the intersection of University and Huguelet Drives.
“Topping out” is the construction term used to indicate that the final steel beam is being placed on the building, and topping out ceremonies are a symbolic milestone that celebrates the building’s progress and the hard work put in by the construction and design teams. UK alumni, faculty, staff and students from the health colleges had the chance to sign the beam prior to the ceremony.
“(This) milestone is about more than steel and concrete — it represents our unwavering commitment to the health of Kentucky,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “This structure rising behind us is a symbol of collaboration and progress, and it represents the future of health care for our state. It is here that students from across disciplines will come together to train, solve problems and discover solutions that make health care stronger for every community in our Commonwealth.”
The ambitious project was authorized by the 2022 Kentucky General Assembly, who allocated $430 million for the construction of the facility and is providing $250 million in state bonds for the project. The construction phase was approved by the UK Board of Trustees in June 2023.
UK says 77 percent of the space will be dedicated to academic, shared and collaborative spaces for students and faculty, including 25 percent devoted to classrooms and learning labs, and 34 percent for simulation and experiential learning.
“The topping out of the Michael D. Rankin Health Education Building marks more than a construction milestone — it’s a celebration of collaboration, purpose and pride,” said David Opalka, vice president and construction executive for Turner Construction Co. “Every beam and slab was placed with intention, creating spaces designed not just for beauty, but for function, flexibility and the future of health care education in Kentucky.”
Kentucky Today