Creighton University Announces Construction of $100M Medical Campus in Phoenix

Nebraska-based Creighton University has announced the construction of a new, nearly $100 million health sciences campus at midtown Phoenix’s historic Park Central property, which is currently being re-developed by Holualoa Companies and Plaza Companies.
At the September 18 announcement event Gov. Doug Ducey officially proclaimed it Creighton Day in Arizona to a standing-room-only crowd of more than 350 people at the Phoenix Art Museum for the special announcement.
The campus will bring a significant expansion of the University’s current presence in Arizona, with a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school and emergency medical services program.
“Creighton came to Phoenix to help meet the growing demand for medical professionals in this area. We have been sending medical students to Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center for clinical rotations for some 13 years,” said Creighton University president Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson at the announcement. “In 2009, we jointly announced plans for a Creighton campus at St. Joseph’s, and our first medical students arrived in 2012. Since then, we have launched nursing and graduate medical education, and, with our partners in the Creighton University-Arizona Health Education Alliance, other programs are planned.”
The first phase of the project will be the construction of a new, 200,000 square foot building that will house nearly 800 Creighton health science students. Until construction is complete, Creighton University’s College of Nursing will move into a temporary site at Park Central effective January 19.
The School of Medicine will continue operating its third- and fourth- year programs out of a space near Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. Construction is expected to be completed in Spring 2021. To make sure this goes along smoothly, there will need to be the necessary precautions taken on the site, such as private utility locating services to check underground, as well as testing the foundations for stability.
The construction will also not only accommodate Creighton University’s current needs, it will provide space for expansion as Arizona’s healthcare needs continue to grow.
“Creighton’s investment in our community will create new jobs and bring new life to a critical property in the heart of midtown Phoenix-but what’s more, it moves us closer to transforming our economy into one rooted in competitive, forward-thinking industries,” said Phoenix Mayor Thelda Williams. “I want Phoenix to be a destination for world-class medical education, research, health care and solutions, and our growing partnership with Creighton University is going to help us get there.”
Arizona faces growing shortages in most health professions and is ranked 32nd nationwide for the number of active physicians. It also lacks physician subspecialty training opportunities and nursing shortage projections exceed the state’s current training capacity.
“Creighton University has long had a presence in Greater Phoenix, but their decision to continue expanding here is an indication of the growth and demand we’re seeing in the industry regionally,” said Chris Camacho, president & CEO of Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “As one of the most innovative medical schools, graduates of their health sciences programs will continue to feed the rapidly growing health care sector.”
Nearly 2,000 of the University’s 70,000 alumni currently reside in Arizona with more than 250 Creighton-trained physicians currently practicing in the state.