Duquesne Plans to Build $68 Million Health Sciences Facility

At a 35th Anniversary Celebration for its John G. Rangos, Sr. School of Health Sciences, Duquesne University formally announced plans to construct a new, purpose-built Health Sciences facility on Forbes Avenue. The transformative project will elevate health sciences education and expand community engagement. The University will launch a fundraising initiative to support the $68 million investment, which is expected to open in fall 2028.

The new 80,000-square-foot facility will serve as the home for the John G. Rangos, Sr. School of Health Sciences, consolidating programs currently spread across campus into a single, state-of-the-art location. Designed with input from health professionals and educators, the building will feature advanced simulation spaces, flexible classrooms, integrated technologies and street-level clinical entrances for community access.

“This new building will stand as a physical embodiment of our investment in people, access to care and the future of health care innovation,” said Rangos Dean Dr. Fevzi Akinci. “It truly will be built to impact the lives of others.”

Duquesne’s leadership emphasized that the timing aligns with the University’s growing role in regional health care and the recent opening of its Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine, located across the street from the new building. “As the University’s impact on regional health care expands, now is the time to build on these successes and position Duquesne and the Rangos School of Health Sciences for its next level of academic excellence and community impact,” said President Ken Gormley. “It will also further enhance the Uptown community as a gateway between downtown and Oakland.”

The new facility will anchor Duquesne’s vision for a vibrant “health corridor” along Forbes Avenue, complementing recent developments such as its medical school and UPMC Mercy’s Vision Institute. This strategic location will enhance collaboration among health disciplines and strengthen partnerships with local clinics and nonprofits.

Provost and incoming President Dr. David Dausey noted that the most immediate benefit will be to students. “Today, Rangos’ programs are spread across campus due to lack of space. When finished, the new health sciences facility will be 20% larger than the space currently occupied by the School and will collect its programs within a single location, with the best contemporary facilities and equipment.”

The building will also allow for the potential expansion of essential programs such as physical therapy and physician assistant studies, meeting critical workforce needs over the next decade. Street-level clinical spaces will make services more accessible, including Duquesne’s Speech-Language Hearing Clinic, which handles roughly 5,000 visits annually.

“For our faculty, this step forward will accelerate Duquesne’s rise as a top-tier university with a national reputation in integrative health, interprofessional training and interdisciplinary research,” Dausey added.

The Rangos School’s degree programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, public health, health administration, physician assistant studies and speech-language pathology are among some of the most well regarded in the nation, and the School’s Duquesne-China Health Institute has educated more than 380 practitioners working around the world. Many of the School’s programs are accelerated, making it possible for students to easily complete both undergraduate and graduate degrees in a compressed time frame.

Duquesne leaders underscored that philanthropic support will be key to realizing this vision. “Few other investments have as profound a return as investing in students who will serve others,” Akinci said. “This project will educate individuals of high impact and provide high value to the people of our community, region and world.”

The University invites alumni, friends and partners to join in shaping the future of health sciences education at Duquesne. “An investment in Rangos is an investment in the next generation of compassionate, skilled health care leaders—and we need more,” said alumnus Byron Wade, a health care executive and consultant, addressing supporters at the School’s 35th anniversary celebration.

Duquesne University

Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and horizon-expanding education. A campus of more than 8,200 graduate and undergraduate students, Duquesne prepares students by having them work alongside faculty to discover and reach their goals. The University's academic programs, community service and commitment to equity and opportunity in the Pittsburgh region have earned national acclaim.

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