School of Public Health advances toward 2026 opening

A transformative new chapter is continuing to take shape for UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. Construction is ongoing on a 10-story, 350,000-square-foot facility in the Texas Medical Center’s Helix Park, a project that will redefine how public health education, research, and community engagement converge.

Scheduled to open to students in fall 2026 with an estimated construction cost of $299 million, the new building will serve as a hub for innovation and collaboration. Designed with multipurpose student spaces, leading-edge distance learning technology, and capabilities to connect all UTHealth Houston School of Public Health campuses across Texas, the facility will also feature an auditorium, a teaching kitchen, state-of-the-art laboratories, and flexible classrooms supporting the school’s wide range of disciplines.

“The faculty, staff, and students have eagerly watched the new building rise up and take shape on the outside,” said Eric Boerwinkle, PhD, dean of the School of Public Health, M. David Low Chair in Public Health, and Kozmetsky Family Chair in Human Genetics. “On the inside, it is exciting to see the laboratories and student spaces start to add finishes reflecting their ultimate function. The new space is much more efficient and functional than our existing building, and it is exciting to share this anticipation and excitement with the Houston community.  

Construction on the new facility continues to move forward on schedule, with major structural and interior milestones achieved as the building heads toward its opening. Exterior work is nearing completion, with final brick installation underway on the south end and metal panel installation largely finished.

Site work is also progressing, including the recently completed Staffordshire extensions to Old Spanish Trail and preparations for loading dock operations, which will begin shortly. Inside the 10-story facility, the passenger and service elevators are nearing full installation, while interior finishes are well underway. On the lower levels, flooring and restroom tiling are more than 90% complete, and ceiling grid installation is progressing steadily.

Laboratory spaces on levels four and five are taking shape, with most casework and chemical hoods installed and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems connected. On level six, air handling units are operational, and the data center’s underfloor piping is complete. Upper office floors, levels seven through 10, are advancing through inspections and interior finishing, with wall preparation, ceiling grid installation, and millwork now in progress.

Ranked the 2024 Top Public Health School in Texas by U.S. News & World Report, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health continues to grow in both reach and reputation. As its new home rises in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, the School of Public Health stands poised to shape the future of population health, fostering discovery, education, collaboration, and solutions that improve lives across Texas and beyond.