PHILADELPHIA -- After groundbreaking ceremonies on April 17, 2004 for its first new building in 25 years in Philadelphia, Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine announced a $100 million fund raising campaign, "Building New Levels of Excellence," the largest in the School's history. The School has raised $79 million toward the goal from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, other government sources, private foundations, and individual donors and anticipates to complete the campaign in 2006.

"The centerpiece of this campaign is the Teaching and Research Building for our Philadelphia campus," says Alan M. Kelly, The Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine. "This building is vital to us as we expand our mission of teaching, research, and healing. Most of our classrooms are antiquated, many research laboratories are old and cramped, and our clinicians are in overcrowded offices. To maintain our leadership role in veterinary medicine, we need this new building."

The four-story Teaching and Research Building will be erected adjacent to the Veterinary School on a lot bound by Baltimore, Woodland and University Avenues. It is designed by Ballinger/Polshek Partnership Architects. The building, estimated to cost about $54 million, will serve as the new academic center of the School in Philadelphia. It will contain five floors, including a vivarium in the basement, two floors of teaching and library space, and two floors of research laboratories. Construction will begin in June of 2004. The building will be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2006.

Other important goals of the campaign include the construction and outfitting of  the Scott Equine Sports Medicine Building at New Bolton Center, construction of an imaging and radiation therapy center at the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital,  additional endowed professorships, increase in scholarship endowments, faculty research fund endowment, and a host of other projects benefiting students, patients, and the advancement of veterinary and human medicine.