$100 Million in Active Construction: HPU Doesn’t Slow Down in the Summer
HIGH POINT, N.C., July 23, 2024 – High Point University’s campus is continuing to grow this summer with $100 million in construction projects underway ahead of the university’s centennial anniversary in September.
Construction has progressed on new buildings for the Workman School of Dental Medicine and the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law as both schools prepare to welcome their inaugural class of students this fall. Each building will be three stories and 77,500 square feet in size, and they will cost a combined $92 million.
HPU’s new dental school and law school will be located next to each other on a section of campus known as the Innovation Corridor. The two buildings will anchor the southern end of the corridor, which represents $500 million investment in STEM programs, faculty and facilities.
The buildings will feature state-of-the-art learning spaces that will simulate what students might encounter when they are working inside a real courtroom or dental office after graduation.
Shelco, LLC, is the general contractor with approximately 90 workers on site daily. A ceremony was held on July 15 to celebrate the last steel beam being installed on these facilities and to honor the Shelco employees and 285 HPU employees who have been hired because of these new schools. Construction of the two buildings is expected to be completed by June 2025.
The inaugural classes for both schools are at capacity. The Workman School of Dental Medicine will have 60 students in its inaugural class this fall, while the first class for the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law will consist of 70 students.
The two new graduate schools reflect HPU’s growth in graduate programs in recent years. The schools are being constructed next to Congdon Hall, home of the Congdon School of Health Sciences and the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, which offer master’s level degrees in physician assistant studies and athletic training, as well as doctoral degrees in physical therapy and pharmacy.
“The growth in graduate schools at High Point University is a reflection of our commitment to academic excellence and to preparing students for the world as it will be,” said HPU President Nido Qubein. “High Point University continues to experience transformational growth in all aspects – degree programs, opportunities and support services for students, facilities, enrollment and more. We are anticipating the largest enrollment in HPU’s history this fall. I’m excited for students to return to campus and see all the improvements that have been made.”
In addition to the new construction, HPU has $8 million in renovations underway this summer across the university’s 520-acre campus. The projects include:
- $2.7 million for the remodeling of Belk Hall, one of HPU’s six residence halls for first-year students.
- $1.5 million for the installation of 17 sculptures depicting the different sports that HPU competes in along a section of Panther Drive leading into campus.
- An expanded Chick-fil-A dining location in Panther Commons, HPU’s newest residence hall, and a Village Juice inside the Slane Student Center.
The university is also continuing to plan for the upcoming construction of a four-story, 150,000-square-foot Charman Library.
About the Workman School of Dental Medicine
In September of 2023, HPU broke ground on a new facility that will be home to the Workman School of Dental Medicine, the state’s only private dental school. The new building will feature a fully functional dental practice of the future, state-of-the-art simulation labs, digital design and 3D and CAD/CAM labs, student lounge and numerous innovative learning spaces and classrooms.
One of the hallmarks of HPU’s approach to dental education is HPU Health LLC, a network of dental practices owned and operated by the university with locations across the state, including Chapel Hill, Greensboro and High Point. These practices are already staffed, fully operational and treating patients, with additional practices to open in the future.
“The new building represents a vision of dental medicine that incubates collaboration, education, innovation and life skills among our community of learners, staff, faculty and visitors,” said Dr. Ali Shazib, dean and chief clinical officer for the HPU Workman School of Dental Medicine. “From our digital labs, where design and manufacturing occur, to our moveable furniture and learning, multi-purpose rooms, every step of the process was meticulously planned with the thought of remaining agile to address the evolving landscape of education, technology and health care.”
About the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law
HPU held another groundbreaking ceremony in September 2023 for the law school. The new building will feature eight classrooms, a 13,000-square-foot law library with study space for students and a 120-seat courtroom that will double as a ninth classroom. The large courtroom will have a state-of-the-art audio and visual system and will resemble a real courtroom with a jury box, a deliberation room and a visiting judge’s chamber.
“Our new building contains the ideal mix of spaces needed to operate a first-rate law school. From state-of-the-art instructional and library spaces to inviting student study and organizational spaces, this new facility will help our school thrive,” said Mark Martin, founding dean and professor of law for the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law. “We will not only be able to educate our students in an inspiring environment, but we will also be able to create an exceptional community among our faculty, staff, students and law school guests.”