ROANOKE, Va. – All eyes were in the sky as a crane hoisted a steel beam four stories high at the construction site for the Virginia Tech Biomedical Research addition in Roanoke.
The special beam had been signed over the past two weeks by more than 100 students, faculty and staff associated with Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic.
The 139,000-square-foot building will add to the interdisciplinary research efforts in the area.
Michael Friedlander, executive director of Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute said it will also serve as a model facility for experiential learning.
“It's my hope that we're able to assemble the absolute best themes in the world addressing the most important issues in health science from cancer to heart disease to obesity, Friedlander said.
Skanska USA is the construction firm in charge of building the addition. They also built the neighboring School of Medicine and Research Institute that will eventually connect to the addition via an elevated walkway.
The building is expected to open in the spring of 2020.