New Collaborative Life Sciences Building to open this month

Portland State, Oregon Health and Science University and Oregon State University have partnered together to create a new building located in Portland’s South Waterfront. Opening on June 26, the Collaborative Life Sciences Building will hold lecture halls, state-of-the-art research and teaching labs, and academic offices for PSU.

Boasting 650,000 square feet, the complex will include green roofs, rainwater collection, energy efficient lighting and climate control. The building is expected to receive a LEED Platinum certification.

According to the OHSU website, the complex will include approximately 185,000 square feet of teaching space, 85,000 square feet of research space, 7,500 square feet for retail and food service, 16,000 square feet for building support and 430 new parking spaces.

Roughly 3,000 students are expected to attend the CLSB daily, which features suspended walkways, plentiful natural light and expansive views of the Willamette River and Mount Hood.

PSU chemistry, biology and biochemistry departments will benefit from the new research programs, teaching labs and 406-seat lecture hall the building holds. Introductory biology and chemistry lectures will be relocated to the new structure, solving the problem of limited space at the university’s main campus.

Scott Gallagher, communications director at PSU, is excited about the partnership between the three Oregon universities.

“The CLSB is the physical embodiment of our strategic partnership with OHSU. More PSU grads are accepted to OHSU programs than from any other university, so it just makes sense that we work together, and with OSU, to provide the best opportunity for students to learn and prepare for careers in health sciences,” he said.

The project is the first of its kind to combine the efforts of multiple universities to provide students of different healthcare professions to learn and collaborate alongside each other.

The $295 million project, located on Southwest Moody Avenue, will begin holding classes for the biology and chemistry departments in fall 2014. PSU students, faculty and staff are invited to attend an open house at the building on June 26 from 2–6 p.m.