University breaks ground on new area campus

CLEARWATER — Fort Lauderdale-based Nova Southeastern University has broken ground on a 325,000-square-foot Tampa Bay regional campus in Clearwater.

When construction is complete, it will replace NSU's existing Tampa campus and its programs, and will include a new site for the university's Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, which is expected to enroll 150 students when the new campus opens in summer 2019.

According to a press release, the new campus — at 3400 Gulf to Bay Blvd. — was made possible by a $50 million gift and an additional $150 million investment in real estate and facilities from the Patel Family Foundation, a charitable organization set up by local philanthropists Kiran and Pallavi Patel.

“This is a monumental opportunity for the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine to expand, bridging the gap in demand for top quality medical care,” states NSU president Dr. George L. Hanbury in the release.

“At the same time, NSU will be providing a world-class graduate and professional education opportunities in a state-of-the-art facility for our current and future students ranging from health care and business to education and psychology.”