The opening of the new Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences building in November 2013 allowed for the consolidation of the College of Pharmacy on WSU’s Spokane campus after many years of students, faculty and staff traveling 70 miles between Pullman and Spokane.
More than 400 people attended a dedication ceremony for the building in December, including many Spokane community leaders who actively advocated for state funding for the building’s construction.
The building is shared by the College of Pharmacy and the Medical Sciences/Medical Education program.
Consolidation of the College of Pharmacy at Spokane is an integral part of Washington State University’s strategy to make the Spokane campus the health sciences campus for the University. Spokane is a medical hub for the Inland Northwest and provides pharmacy students outstanding and varied opportunities to interact with patients.
Artistic renderings of the building below.
An artist’s rendering of the cascading, four-story open stairway inside:
Another artistic rendering of the building inside:
A watercolor from the campus side, by Bill Hook:
Another watercolor by Bill Hook, from the street side:
An artistic rendering of the building at twilight:
Building Facts
Size: 125,000 square feet
Space assignments:
- Research: 44%
- Teaching: 29%
- Administration: 27%
There is room for:
- 18 – 24 researchers
- 108 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers
- 37 faculty offices
- 25 administrative offices
- Auditorium classroom that seats 150
- 3 pharmacy teaching labs
- 4 medical degree teaching classrooms
- 4 anatomy labs
Purpose: To accommodate the consolidation of the professional pharmacy program in Spokane, the growth of the physician education partnership with the University of Washington in Spokane, and to grow WSU’s investment in biomedical research in Spokane.
Contractor: Graham Construction
Cost: $78.6 million
Funding: Authorized by Washington Legislature in 2011 and 2012 sessions. The 2013 session authorized $2 million for equipment.
Building construction timeline:
April 2011| Washington Legislature approves first half of funding for construction
August 2011 | Ground is broken on the new Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences building in Spokane
October 2011 | A formal groundbreaking ceremony is held
April 2012 | Washington Legislature approves second half of funding for construction.
November 2013 | Building offices ready for occupancy.
December 2013 | Laboratories and offices move to new building
January 2014 | Classes begin in the building