UMass Amherst Celebrates Start of Construction on $43 Million School of Public Health and Health Sciences Hub

Pictured at the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences ceremonial groundbreaking are (l-r) Chris Greenfield, former associate dean of administration and finance for SPHHS; Eliza Frechette, dean's teaching fellow in kinesiology; Andrew Mangels, vice chancellor for administration and finance; Felicity Oliveira, UMass Amherst student trustee; Chancellor Javier Reyes; SPHHS Dean Anna Maria Siega-Riz; UMass Board of Trustees Chair Steve Karam; UMass Board of Trustees Vice Chair Mary Burns; Fouad Abd-El-Khalick, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs; Barbara Kroncke, executive director, UMass Building Authority; Lily Stoe-Alekman, staff director for Rep. Mindy Domb; and Aaron Saunders, state representative, 7th Hampden District.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst hosted state and local leaders today to celebrate the start of construction for a new $43 million School of Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS) Hub. The 26,000-square-foot structure will serve as the heart of SPHHS, which currently has its six departments housed in seven locations around campus. <_o3a_p>

Construction of the new facility, at the corner of North Pleasant Street and Eastman Lane adjacent to the Totman Gymnasium, commenced in May and is scheduled to be complete in December 2025.<_o3a_p>

SPHHS houses some of the university's fastest-growing programs focused on pressing public health problems, as well as crosscutting issues such as obesity and diabetes prevention, women's health, global health, aging and healthy living, and autism spectrum disorders. Currently 88% of SPHHS graduates stay in Massachusetts, improving the quality of life in community settings where they work, including hospitals, laboratories, health departments and community health and well-being programs.

UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes said the new facility will not only serve as a centralized location for SPHHS students, faculty and staff to come together as a community, but also as a space to engage with and connect members of the local community. <_o3a_p>

"By strengthening the connection between our people and our place - our students and our community - we will help to ensure that our next generation of public health leaders continue to stay in Massachusetts to live, work, and thrive in the years to come," Reyes said.<_o3a_p>

A rendering of the interior of the School of Public Health and Health Sciences Hub

SPHHS Dean Anna Maria Siega-Riz said the new facility will feature flexible, team-based learning classrooms, office space, time-shared cubicles, conferencing facilities and open areas designed for informal work and collaboration. Additionally, the hub will include an outdoor event space to complement the interior academic program spaces to allow SPHHS to host a wide variety of outdoor events.<_o3a_p>

As an energy efficient and sustainable facility, the SPHHS hub will aim to exceed the minimum certification level of LEED Silver®, in keeping with UMass Amherst's position as a sustainability leader in the commonwealth. The building was designed by Boston-based Leers Weinzapfel Associates.<_o3a_p>

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