Ohio State expanding its veterinary hospital

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The Ohio State University is moving forward with a $30 million expansion and enhancement project for its Veterinary Medical Center, according to a university release. The approval by The Ohio State University Board of Trustees on June 6 allows the project to begin in mid-August, with ground breaking taking place in September.

A rendering of the addition to The Ohio State University’s Veterinary Medical Center. The center has over 33,000 livestock, equine, and companion animal patient visits a year, and the College of Veterinary Medicine employs 130 faculty members and has an enrollment of approximately 620 students. (Courtesy of OSU CVM)

The trustees approved spending $16.8 million on the first phase, during which the intensive care unit for the companion animal hospital will be renovated and a three-story, 57,000-square-foot faculty office building will be added to the east side of the existing structure that will not only incorporate faculty and staff offices but also conference spaces for meetings and teaching. It’s expected to open in early 2016. Already, $3 million has been spent on design of the first phase, and it will cost $13.8 million for construction.

The College of Veterinary Medicine still needs to raise enough money for the second phase, which would add clinical, surgery, and treatment rooms; add a new lobby and reception area; improve patient rooms, animal holding, and admission and discharge areas.

The veterinary college has raised $8.5 million so far and has sought a $10 million loan from the university to be repaid with donations and increases in operating income. If funding allows, two future phases would convert vacated faculty offices to more clinical and surgery space.