Covington’s riverfront will soon be the launchpad for the Commonwealth Center for Biomedical Excellence.
Representatives from Northern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky unanimously selected 11 East Rivercenter Blvd. to house both NKU’s Chase College of Law and UK College of Medicine’s Northern Kentucky campus. The selection follows a wide-ranging search of downtown Covington facilitated by HDR, which is serving as the Northern Kentucky Port Authority’s owner representative for the project. Development firm Pizzuti assisted HDR in the site evaluation process.
The search evaluated multiple properties within Covington’s core, with the selected site offering the best combination of location and long-term growth potential.
The selected site provides the Center direct access to parking at the 1,500-space Kenton County Parking Garage. At 1.89 acres, the site also offers ample opportunity for future expansion by both universities and its current use as a surface-level parking lot shortens the timeline to commencing construction.
In the new Covington location, students will gain unparalleled access to industry leaders across the public and private sectors, enriching their educational experience.
Chase Law students, for instance, will study within two miles of the region’s 25 largest law firms and five federal and state courthouses.
“Locating the Commonwealth Center for Biomedical Excellence in bustling Covington, just across the Roebling Bridge from Cincinnati, places Chase Law School students at the center of the region’s legal, business, civic and social activity,” NKU President Cady Short-Thompson said. “The proximity to courts, firms, Convention Center and government offices gives them unmatched access to internships, clerkships and networking opportunities. This site immerses Chase Law School students in the environments where critical decisions are made, preparing them to lead and to serve in a rapidly changing legal landscape.”
Likewise medical students will be immersed in Northern Kentucky’s growing life sciences community—surrounded by leading companies such as CTI Clinical Trial and Consulting Services, Bexion Pharmaceuticals and Gravity Diagnostics, along with the new LifeSciKY lab at the OneNKY Center.
“The recent site selection marks an important step forward for the UK College of Medicine-Northern Kentucky Campus,” Dr. Charles Griffith, Dean of the UK College of Medicine, said. “This location aligns with the college’s priorities of putting learners at the forefront, providing them the opportunity to train in the heart of a vibrant city and engage with the local community. We are eager to continue this important work with our partners and advance to the next phase of the project.”
The $125 million Commonwealth Center for Biomedical Excellence was funded by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2024. Once complete, the project will return Chase Law to Covington, where it was located from 1972 to 1981, and allow UK College of Medicine the necessary space to grow its Northern Kentucky campus’ enrollment by 40%.
Combined, the two universities are expected to bring approximately 600 faculty, staff and students to Covington.
“The inclusion of NKU’s Salmon P. Chase College of Law and UK College of Medicine – Northern Kentucky campus within our urban core is a tremendous win for our community,” Covington Mayor Ron Washington said. “It makes me proud to know that the next generation of lawyers and doctors who will serve the Commonwealth will be educated right here in Covington. This investment in education strengthens our city’s future and further cements Covington as a hub of opportunity and innovation.”
Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann said: “Selecting the site for the Commonwealth Center for Biomedical Excellence was a true collaboration between Northern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky. Both institutions worked closely, using the research, analysis and tools provided by HDR, to identify the location that best positions students and faculty for long-term success. This project will drive innovation, attract talent and create new opportunities for Covington and all of Northern Kentucky.”
“I could not be prouder of Judge Knochelmann and the way he has spearheaded the effort on one of the longest investments ever made in Northern Kentucky,” Senate Budget Chairman Chris McDaniel said. “This project will transform Northern Kentucky for generations, and his leadership has made it happen.”
The Northern Kentucky Port Authority will pay $3.8 million to purchase the site from the Butler Foundation.
The NKY Port will now work alongside HDR and both universities to begin the design process in preparation to break ground in spring 2026. The NKY Port is actively seeking firms to provide design-build services for the project, with those proposals due Oct. 31.
The design will be guided by work completed by HDR during the site selection process to assess the space requirements of both universities.
“HDR did an excellent job guiding all parties through the site selection process and we are grateful for their expertise on such an important project for the Northern Kentucky region,” NKY Port Executive Director Christine Russell said. “Work will continue on an aggressive timeline with HDR and the universities to develop the design of a high-quality, state-of-the-art facility for the law and medical schools that will meet the needs of students for generations to come.”
Kenton County