Ramsey oversees building boom at University of Louisville, more to come

Under construction.

Almost overlooked with the nearing completion of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium football expansion and the KFC Yum Center basketball palace has been all of the other construction occurring in recent years at the University of Louisville.

The growth in new physical improvements has been phenomenal, adding up to more than $1.2 billion in capital projects since James Ramsey became U of L President in September 2002, according to a recent report in Business First Louisville.

Unprecedented growth during a period in which budget cuts in state funds have become the norm. New student housing, clinical and research buildings, athletic facilities and parking structures.

“But perhaps more important, the improvements are enabling the university to attract better students, create a stronger work force and work toward the state legislature’s mandate to become a premier metropolitan research institution … By teaming with private developers and tapping various sources of nontraditional funding, U of L is reshaping not only its Belknap, Shelby and Health Sciences campuses but the neighborhoods that surround them.”

Here’s Business First’s listing of projects completed since 2002:

• Delia B. Baxter Biomedical Research Building — A research facility on South Preston Street on the U of L Health Sciences Campus: $41 million.
• Herman and Heddy Kurz Hall — 400-bed student housing complex at 1900 S. Fourth St: $8.7 million.
• Billy Minardi Hall — 38-bed student housing complex at 2040 S. Fourth St.: $4.6 million.
• Chestnut Street garage expansion: $4.8 million.
• William F. Ekstrom Library Addition — Renovation of U of L’s main library facility included new entrance facing Third Street, robotic book-retrieval system: $14.2 million.
• Ralph R. Wright Natatorium — Aquatic center located at 2216 S. Floyd St.: $10.8 million.
• Reynolds Lofts — 72 privately developed condominiums and apartments at 2500 S. Third St.: $8 million.
• Jim Patterson Stadium — 2,500-seat baseball facility: $6.8 million.
• Shumaker Research Building — A 103,000-square-foot facility for microtechnology research, education and technology transfer: $47.8 million.
• Cardiovascular Innovation Institute — A 67,000-square-foot facility that includes research labs, operating and recovery rooms, diagnostic equipment and training facilities and offices: $28.4 million.
• Trager Center Indoor Practice Facility — Contains full-length football field, track, jump pit, pole-vault area and batting cages: $8.1 million.
• Community Park — A 350-bed residence hall on South Fourth Street: $15.1 million.
• Yum! Center — Training space for men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and women’s lacrosse: $16.1 million.
• James Graham Brown Cancer Center renovation: $29 million.
• Trager Field Hockey Stadium —Complex includes Marshall Center, a strength and conditioning facility for Olympic sports: $4.2 million.
• U of L Health Care Outpatient Center — Facility at 401 E. Chestnut St. for medical and dental offices: $63 million.
• Cardinal Station acquisition — U of L Foundation bought a facility that houses primary care and medical specialty programs and a sports medicine program: $8 million.
• Health Sciences Campus Parking Garage II — 1,711-car facility at Clay Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard: $30.7 million.
• Phoenix Place acquisition — Purchase of downtown apartment complex now used for housing for 225 students: $9.5 million.
• The Bellamy —192 student apartments in Park Hill neighborhood: $30 million.
• Center for Predictive Medicine — Regional biosafety lab developed on U of L’s ShelbyHurst Research and Office Park: $34.6 million.
• The Province —A privately developed student residence complex capable of housing up to 858 students: $54.2 million.
• Clinical and Translational Research Building — 287,000-square-foot facility at 505 S. Hancock St. supports oncology research: $143 million.
• Infrastructure improvements on Eastern Parkway: $7.1 million.
• Kentucky Trailer property acquisition — U of L Foundation’s purchase of 33 acres between J.B. Speed School of Engineering and Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium for future development: $19.5 million.

Still in the pipeline: a 10,000-square-foot Westside Dining on Third Street, a $43 million expansion of the Dental School, a $2.7 million boathouse for the rowing team, a $9.7 million expansion of Preventive Medicine on Shelby Campus, and a $55 million redevelopment of the old Masterson’s Restaurant property.