GREENSBORO, NC -- Ground has been broken on a nearly $40 million project.
"We’re known as Tournament Town in Greensboro, but today this is Teamwork Town, because this really a true collaborative effort between the public and private sectors," said spokesperson Ed Kitchen.
Construction could begin as early as next week on the nearly 85,000 square foot Union Square Campus facility.
Once built, the three-story building will serve as home for a nursing collaboration between Cone Health, UNC Greensboro, NC A&T State University and GTCC.
"We think it brings together incredibly smart people, the very best in technologies and a really high class, high quality classroom," said Dr. Harold L. Martin, Sr., NC A&T chancellor.
"This is workforce development -- nursing is one of the fastest growing professions in the country," said Kitchen.
The facility will house classrooms, an auditorium, simulation labs and more. The goal is to provide a high level of nursing education.
"It's just a wonderful development to have in Greensboro," said Nancy B. Vaughan, Greensboro mayor. "This has been at least three years in development. We're so excited, because this is going to be so unique to Greensboro."
The campus could cover as much as two of seven acres of the Union Square area that spans South Elm and Lee Streets.
"We've gotten close to $7 million with private, we've got leases from the four tenants of the building, we've got the city of Greensboro putting up the land at no cost to help stimulate the development around it. The city is taking care of parking, there's multiple players in this," said Kitchen.
Planners hope the campus development will spur commercial and residential in the area as well. Construction is expected to wrap up and the facility is expected to open for classes in 2016.