The University of Delaware marked another milestone in the development of its STAR Campus Tuesday with the ceremonial “topping off” of the 10-story STAR Tower.
The frame of the 120,000 square foot tower in Newark is now complete.
When the building is fully finished next year, university officials expect it to build on the foundation created by the campus’ first building, creating more space that brings together UD researchers and students with outside business and the community.
UD College of Health Sciences Dean Dr. Kathy Matt is especially focused on continuing to bring patients to the campus for care in hopes of fostering innovations in treatment developed across the university
"The old model used to be bench to bedside. So, somebody in a research lab is sort of designing the solution, (then) once you’ve got it, you push it out to the bedside or the patient," said Matt. "That’s actually not how discovery happens. It’s really having the patients right there, be a part of those conversations. And then that spurs and sparks other ideas about what other areas of research we want to do."
And Matt says that approach is what makes this tower - and the STAR campus as a whole – unique.
"If you look in a traditional place, it’s more -- here’s the medical school, here’s the research, here’s the clinical care, here’s all of that and there’s the rest of the university on another campus. No, we want it all mixed in." said Matt. "I really want to be a building where there are other companies, there are other programs and everything because that gets you to the edge of things you never even thought about.
Matt adds that model can also cut down the time it takes ideas to become reality.
UD President Dennis Assanis believes it will also ultimately benefit the First State economy.
"People are making the STAR campus a regional destination, an exciting hub of knowledge discovery and innovation and a powerful driver for economic development here in Delaware – the beating heart for our state’s economy," said Assanis.
The University will occupy six floors of the building and three others will be leased to companies whose work complements the campus’ science, technology, and advanced research mission.
School officials expect the STAR Tower to open its doors next August.
