The dual buildings are coming out of the ground simultaneously although deliveries are nearly two years apart. A 35,000-sf radiation oncology center will be completed in September 2003 while the project's nucleus--an 830,000-sf research tower and plaza--won't come on line until February 2005. The project represents the fourth phase of a master plan primarily aimed at biomedical research. Just two years ago, UT Southwestern delivered the $80-million, 330,000-sf Seay Biomedical Building on the north campus.

UT Southwestern's board of regents has yet to give the financial go-ahead, but phase five is on the drawing boards for an August 2005 start. For now, the focus is on phase four, designed by Omniplan of Dallas in conjunction with the associate architects, John Lee and Michael Timchula, both of New York City. Austin Commercial LP of Dallas is the general contractor while the Chris Miller Co., also of Dallas, is the landscape architect. Earl Walls Associates of San Diego is the university's biomedical consultant.

Site work is wrapping up as crews prep to start pouring slabs, says Vahle. The five-story tower will include all the bells and whistles of a class A office building, including a 12,000-sf thermal energy plant and three underground parking levels. The $255-million project, going up on the north side of Harry Hines Boulevard and Inwood Road, is being funded through allocations from the state, UT Southwestern, federal research grants and philanthropic contributions.

The campus started in 1988 with a 14-acre purchase and 2.8 million sf, says Vahle. Today, it totals about 47 acres and has 7.6 million sf under roof. "It's been an interesting 12 years," he says of the back-to-back construction projects.

UT Southwestern has just kicked off a five-year campaign to raise $450 million for medical research. More than $172 million was raised prior to the campaign's official launch. Of that total, William T. Solomon, chairman of Austin Industries, and his wife donated $1 million through their charitable fund. Solomon serves as the chairman for the Innovations in Medicine campaign and its 100-member leadership council comprised of civic and business leaders.

In addition to the Solomon gift, $25 million came from a trust established through the will of Bulah M. Luse; $20 million from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute; $11.7 million from the Harry S. Moss Trust for the Prevention and Cure of Heart Disease; and $7.5 million from Deborah and W.A. "Tex" Moncrief Jr.

Most of the funds will be directed toward endowments and project support for basic and clinical research on major diseases, ranging from Alzheimer's to the Human Genome Project to bioterror defense, in terms of new ways to neutralize and defeat biological agents that might be used by terrorists. Funds also will be earmarked to "help attract more of the world's leading scientists and clinicians and secure its position at the pinnacle of international biomedical science," according to a press release.