Northwestern’s new medical research facility got a shot in the arm March 9 with a $40 million gift from an NU trustee — the third largest donation in the history of Campaign Northwestern.
Ann Lurie’s gift will be used toward building the $200 million Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center, named for her late husband.
Administrators said the facility is vital to the growth of NU’s Medical School.
“It’s hugely important,” University President Henry Bienen said. “It’s the single biggest project of construction we’ve undertaken in quite some time.”
Bienen said the facility will enable the university to devote more resources to major public health issues.
“It will vastly increase the number of medical researchers we have working on significant problems,” he said.
The 12-story building will house offices and more than 200,000 square feet of research space for studying genetics, cancer, bioengineering, molecular medicine and neuroscience. About 700 researchers, technicians, postdoctoral students and lab assistants will work in the center.
Lurie said expanded research efforts are crucial to the Medical School’s continued success.
“In the early years of the 21st century, we anticipate a remarkable expansion of medical knowledge followed by the enhanced ability to treat as well as prevent disease,” Lurie said in a press release. “NU can be a leading participant in these discoveries, but only if we aggressively expand the research initiative through collaboration between private and public philanthropy under strong university and medical school leadership.”
Lurie’s gift is not her first to the university. In 1999, Lurie established an endowed chair at the Medical School named for Diana, Princess of Wales. She also has hosted fund-raisers for the School of Music.
The Lurie gift brings total donations to the $1 billion Campaign Northwestern to about $880 million. Administrators said they expect the campaign will reach its goal well before the August 2003 target.
Ronald Vanden Dorpel, vice president for university development, said the gift is essential to the success of the planned research center.
“It’s the lead gift,” he said. “It’s absolutely critical.”
Vanden Dorpel said several other gifts have been committed to the project, including $25 million from an anonymous alumnus and a $30 million investment by Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
In addition, Illinois Gov. George Ryan proposed giving $30 million to the project in his State of the State address in February. The state Legislature is scheduled to vote on the proposal in its next session.
The center will be located on the southeast corner of Superior Street and Fairbanks Court, currently the site of the Passavant Pavilion. The Pavilion is scheduled to be demolished this spring, with construction of the new facility to begin later this year. Vanden Dorpel said $150 million must be raised before the first phase of construction can be begin.
The building is scheduled to open in 2003.
