TYLER, TX — Skanska, a global construction and development firm, broke ground for The University of Texas at Tyler’s Medical Education Building. Texas Governor Greg Abbott was in attendance as the area celebrated UT System’s seventh medical school and the first of its kind in Northeast Texas, where new physicians will train and practice. Skanska is partnering with Tyler-based HGR General Contractors on the project as a joint-venture.

“The UT Tyler Medical Education Building combines two of our building specialties, health care and education,” Executive Vice President and General Manager of Skanska North Texas Dennis Yung said. “It is an honor to partner with UT to build this state-of-the-art facility that will have a significant impact on the education and the subsequent health of the region.”

The groundbreaking marks the start of the building process for this five-story, nearly 248,000-square-foot facility, with the opening slated for March 2025. The Medical Education Building will support interdisciplinary education for graduate medical students, resident training, and nursing, and aid as part of a medical education program expansion throughout the UT Health East Texas Health System. In addition, the Medical Education Building will provide outpatient and specialty clinical services with exam rooms, specimen collection/processing, and imaging facilities.

“This is an enormous milestone for UT Tyler and for all of East Texas,” said UT Tyler President Kirk A. Calhoun, MD, FACP. “We are excited to take the next step in creating a physical home for the School of Medicine, and on behalf of UT Tyler, I want to thank the UT System and the East Texas community for the continued support of our health care education advancements.”