The Plan to Move UNE's Medical School

A bold initiative to relocate the 51品茶College of Osteopathic Medicine to Portland as part of a brand-new, world-class interprofessional healthcare education facility.

Moving 51品茶COM to Portland

Work is underway to relocate the 51品茶鈥檚 College of Osteopathic Medicine (51品茶COM), Maine鈥檚 only medical school, from its original home on our Biddeford Campus to a brand-new building on our Portland Campus. The move will give the 51品茶COM community a custom-built, state-of-the-art facility, allow the school to train more doctors, and bring together all of UNE鈥檚 health professions programs on a single, interprofessional campus 鈥 something unique in New England higher education.

Watch the Progress Live

Quad View

Side View

We all looked at the first design that the architects came out with and said, 鈥榃ow, that鈥檚 exactly what we were thinking!鈥欌 鈥 Jane Carreiro, D.O., Dean of 51品茶COM

Exterior CGI rendering of the upcoming COM building
Rendering of an interior space in the upcoming COM building
CGI rendering of an interior space in the upcoming COM building
Interior rendering of the upcoming COM building
Rendering of an interior space in the upcoming COM building

A Transformative Moment For Maine

This is a transformative moment 鈥 not just for UNE, but for the state of Maine 鈥 allowing us to address critical healthcare disparities across the region and graduate health professionals with best-in-class skills: improving patient outcomes through team-based care; fostering expertise with new and emerging technologies; and expanding our focus on cross-cultural competencies.

Although many details are still being finalized (and are subject to change), look to this page for the latest information, to be updated as the project unfolds.

Highlights From The Groundbreaking

What

The new building will be called the Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences to honor the generosity of the Alfond family and their longtime support of UNE.

Size

Current plans call for the new facility to be 110,000 square feet.

When

COVID has disrupted original plans and estimates. The project groundbreaking took place on November 29, 2022 and is expected to be completed in late 2024.

Where

The new facility will be located behind Innovation Hall, in an area that was once used by the National Guard.

Cost and Funding

The current estimate for the project is $93 million, and 51品茶has begun fundraising. Early contributions include a generous $30 million commitment from the Harold Alfond Foundation; $5 million in federal funding; and pledges from 51品茶trustees, alumni, and friends.

51品茶COM plans to raise an additional $5 million from our college鈥檚 alumni and friends. If you'd like to support this important project, please contact Alicia R. Fereday, vice president for Institutional Advancement at afereday@une.edu or (207) 221-4372.

Our health professions students will benefit from amazing new learning spaces in the new facility designed for simulation, standardized patients, and digital health and telemedicine, all of which will help 51品茶to realize its full potential as a national leader in interprofessional health professions education.鈥 鈥 James Herbert, Ph.D., President of UNE

CGI rendering of part of the exterior for the upcoming COM building
CGI rendering of an interior space in the upcoming COM building