The growth and evolution of the Health Sciences Campus are the focus of a master planning process.

Bill Youngblood

Those are questions under consideration by an executive planning committee charged with developing a Health Sciences Campus Master Plan for the future. The committee kicked off their planning process Jan. 8.

"The Health Sciences Campus is at an important juncture as USC works to acquire the two private hospitals, grow the clinical enterprise, expand research and educational programs and more," explained Curt Williams, vice president, campus development and facilities management. "The university will benefit from a strategic planning study that identifies critical needs and plans for future growth, with an eye toward the best locations for various functions."

Williams added that a successful master plan can enhance the academic mission of the university as well as lead to improved patient/visitor satisfaction for clinical services and in turn positively impact the operations and profitability of the clinical enterprise.

Laurie Stone, program director for capital construction and university counsel, who is leading the planning process, explained that the final master plan—which could take two years to develop—will reflect both the needs of USC units, as well as opportunities for optimal utilization of existing buildings and available land.

In their initial discussion, committee members expressed a broad range of current needs and ideas for the future. Among those:

• improved services for students, including student housing

• recreational/exercise facilities

• food service amenities for patients, visitors and guests

• increased dry lab space for translational research

• increased office space for administrative functions

• additional parking and improved circulation around campus

• a visitors center/conference center facility.

Vice Provost Mitch Creem, who is leading the transition process toward acquisition of the two private hospitals, said that creating a safe and inviting environment for students, patients and their families should be a priority in campus development.

Keck School of Medicine Chief Operating Officer Coreen Rodgers emphasized the importance of developing additional space for dry research labs for translational research and additional office space for administrative functions.

Preparation of the master plan will involve assistance from consultants such as architects and traffic engineers.

University Architect Jon Soffa commented that the process also will examine HSC's aging buildings and formulate recommendations for demolishing or repurposing for other uses. Landscaping across and around the campus also will be studied.

What can be accomplished with a campus master plan?

• Develop a strategic planning framework for future growth of the campus as it relates to: academic, clinical, research missions; campus life; and BioMedTech Park uses.

• Identify development opportunities for growth on land currently owned by USC.

• Identify major drivers for future campus development.

• Survey existing building resources as to historic value and functional capacity to support future campus space needs.

• Identify ways to strengthen the service and integration of the University Hospital and Norris Cancer Hospital into the campus fabric.

• Identify opportunities to improve the physical identity for the Health Sciences Campus with recognizable entries and gateways, improved wayfinding, branding and signage.

• Identify ways to improve resources and management of USC parking and transportation systems, including coordination with publicly owned and operated systems.

• Identify potential amenities that will serve the campus community, including students, faculty, staff, patients, visitors and tenants, as well as the neighboring community.

• Identify opportunities to strengthen pedestrian linkages between HSC and LAC+USC facilities.

• Extend and enhance a safe, attractive, sustainable campus and neighboring urban community.

• Identify ways to encourage public and private non-university investment in the proposed BioMedTech Park.