Officials with the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health announced Feb. 24 the latest construction updates for the new $299 million school of public health building located at the Texas Medical Center’s Helix Park.

Some context

The installment of the final beam was placed in late February as part of the medical school’s new 10-story, 350,000-square-foot-facility. The building will house distance-learning technology, an auditorium, research laboratories and multipurpose spaces for students, according to a news release.

What they're saying

Jagat Narula serves as the executive vice president and chief academic officer at UTHealth Houston. Narula said in a news release how there is a growing need for resources surrounding public health.

“It is estimated that state and local health departments will need to hire a minimum of 80,000 positions to adequately provide community health services in the coming years," Narula said. "Our faculty and staff will have a rich collaborative environment to learn and innovate in this facility.”

The new building is expected to open for students in fall 2026.