Union Wins Grant to Renovate Former Hospital Building

U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers’s office has announced that Union College will receive $495,000 in federal funds to help with the renovation of the former Knox County Hospital building.

The funds will be made available by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

An early concept drawing shows plans for the future of the former Knox County Hospital building. Union College has received $495,000 in federal funds to help with the cost of the renovation.

The former hospital building, located directly across from Union’s Miller Science Center on High Street in Barbourville, is being renovated to serve as the home to Union’s new Department of Nursing and Health Sciences. The department includes the RN-to-BSN nursing program, which welcomed its first students this fall, and the athletic training major.

Union and Knox County entered into an agreement two years ago to allow Union to renovate the hospital building. Since the agreement was reached, Union has worked to secure funding to aid in renovation. So far, the college has completed environmental work required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The effort to win additional funding is ongoing, but the college expects the facility to be complete by 2012.

The HHS funds make it possible for Union to move forward with soliciting bids from architectural and engineering firms.

“A long-awaited moment has come when we can think of this as an active project,” said Union President Ed de Rosset.

While the bid process is being completed, Union is holding cross-departmental meetings to revisit preliminary concept drawings for the facility and discuss potential new programs in the health sciences.

Information about nursing and health sciences at Union is available at www.unionky.edu/nursing.
     

October 12, 2010

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