UNE’s medical college takes center stage with groundbreaking

Rendering / University Of New England Construction is starting on the University of New England’s Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences, led by Ledgewood Construction. SMRT handled the architectural plans.

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By Peter Van Allen

The University of New England is well along the way with its plans to consolidate its medical campus in Portland. It recently broke ground on the $93 million Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences, which will be 110,000 square feet and be completed in time for the 2024-25 school year. Portland-based SMRT is the architect and South Portland-based Ledgewood Construction is the construction manager.

The effort moves the College of Osteopathic Medicine from the main campus in Biddeford and consolidates all health professions programs on the Portland campus — including the nursing program, dental school, pharmacy school, occupational therapy and related professional training. UNE has Maine’s only medical college and only dental college, as well as a range of health care degree programs.

Space that’s vacated on the Biddeford campus will be used for biomedical sciences and marine studies, and other undergraduate programs.

Consigli projects underway around Maine

Consigli Construction, with a Portland office, is managing construction of Northern Light Health / Acadia Hospital’s new pediatric inpatient wing. It will add 50 rooms. Northern Light held a topping off ceremony in mid-November, with Acadia Hospital employees, trustees, and donors signing a beam that was to become a permanent fixture of the new pediatric wing. Completion is expected by December 2023

From medicine to education, Consigli is also managing the conversion of the former CIEE building at 300 Fore St. to the new home for Maine Law. A January 2023 move-in is planned.

Elsewhere, also in the education field, Consigli is managing construction of the Barry Mills Hall and the John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies at Bowdoin College in Brunswick. The project is being built with cross-laminated timber (CLT) as part of the college’s effort to become carbon neutral. A completion date of January 2023 is expected. HGA was the project architect.

Other news from the construction industry

AlliedCook Construction, of Scarborough, winds up management of the construction of the new Covetrus headquarters at 12 Mountfort St. in Portland’s East End. The ribbon cutting will be Dec. 15.

Wright Ryan Construction, of Portland, is managing construction of the Vertical Harvest Farms site in Westbrook.

Landry/French Construction, of Scarborough, managed construction of the Paul J. Schupf Art Center in Waterville. The art center will open Dec. 17.