University of New England Opens Alfond Center for Health Sciences

The University of New England opened the Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences in June of 2025 in Portland, Maine. This dynamic new home for the College of Osteopathic Medicine was designed by SMRT Architects & Engineers to equip future doctors and health professionals with the vital skills to collaboratively deliver team-based care. Enabling unique opportunities for interdisciplinary training, the $93 million facility also accommodates programs including nursing, pharmacy, exercise science, physician assistance, dental hygiene, physical therapy, occupational therapy, public health, and social work. Faculty and students can work side by side in settings that mirror today’s clinical environments, fostering the habits of communication and coordination that lead to better patient outcomes.

The 110,000-sf building provides advanced simulation suites, clinical skills labs, 20 standardized patient exam rooms, venues for digital health and telemedicine, and an anatomy lab with 50 dissection tables. Featuring a 240-seat tiered lecture hall with a seamless 48-foot video wall, the adaptable, future-facing project offers flexible classrooms, seminar rooms, breakout spaces, a student lounge, and offices for faculty and staff. The four-story structure houses the Center to Advance Interprofessional Education and Practice, as well as an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic. Addressing an urgent need for more physicians in Maine, the transformative development will allow the medical school to increase enrollment by 21 percent, expanding the class size from 165 to 200 students.

Extensive glazing transmits natural light to the interior, where exposed mass timber framing and finishes enhance occupant wellbeing. A glass-enclosed walkway and a spacious green courtyard encourage informal interaction and exchange. Built by Ledgewood Construction, the sustainable facility leverages passive design strategies, water-source heat pumps, and energy recovery systems to optimize performance and minimize emissions. Ground was broken on the Alfond Center for Health Sciences in November of 2022.