Shawmut Design and Construction celebrates completion of St. John University’s $106 million St. Vincent health sciences center

Queens, NY Shawmut Design and Construction, a leading $1.6 billion national construction management firm, joined St. John’s University to mark the grand opening and formal dedication of the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center, a transformative facility that is redefining healthcare education on the storied Queens campus. Shawmut Design and Construction was the construction manager for the innovative and sustainable 70,000 s/f building, with CannonDesign serving as the architect.

The fully energy-efficient new center houses advanced classrooms, cutting-edge laboratories, and patient simulation spaces designed to offer immersive, real-world training for the next generation of caregivers.

“Celebrating the ribbon cutting of the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center is a proud moment for all of us at Shawmut. We are passionate about building purposeful spaces that advance communities and reflect shared values, all executed with an innovative, collaborative spirit. This project and the team’s journey exemplify that.” said David Margolis, executive vice president of Shawmut Design and Construction’s New York Metro region. “We are honored to have collaborated with St. John’s, CannonDesign, and our dedicated trade partners to bring this state-of-the-art building to life. It will now serve as a catalyst for training the next generation of caregivers, who will carry forward the mission of knowledge and service.”

Started in spring 2022, construction on the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center involved the use of 1,137 columns and beams and 875 tons of steel. Built with eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient systems, the all-electric building reflects the university’s dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship. The building features solar panels and bird-safe glass windows and is expected to earn LEED Silver certification.

The facility is heated and cooled using a geothermal field, which features 66 wells drilled 499 feet below ground and is only the second campus-based geothermal field in New York City. Geothermal energy takes advantage of the constant temperature of the shallow earth to efficiently exchange temperatures, heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. The increased use of geothermal energy decreases fossil fuel use and resulting greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are both honored and humbled to have been asked by St. John’s University to collaborate with them with this very important new building,” said John Reed, AIA, design principal at CannonDesign. “Our goal for this project was to create a building that can be both transformative in the student’s education and also sit comfortably within the historic ensemble of buildings which ring the Great Lawn. We look forward to the impact the graduating students will make in the field of healthcare and to the continuing success of St. John’s Health Sciences Programs.”

The building’s design centers around the Dorethea and Nickolas Davatzes Atrium, with an entrance that leads into a multistory “living room” — a dynamic social hub that fosters collaboration and interaction among students and faculty.

Classrooms and lecture halls provide an optimal learning environment for students. Multiple Skills and Assessment Flex Labs and Hi-Fidelity Simulation Centers comprise approximately 25% of the buildings assignable floor area. Students’ clinical skills training within these “hospital” settings is observed through one-way glass and remotely via audiovisual capture systems. Advanced Simulation Laboratories are equipped with the latest technology, including virtual reality (VR), to immerse students in real-life clinical training scenarios, providing a cutting-edge platform for groundbreaking healthcare education.

The building offers a range of study spaces that supports students learning together, with the design of spaces inspired by the trend toward mentorship and cohort groups in medical education.

The new building improves accessibility on the campus and provides easier access, serving as a pass-through from the Residence Village to the Great Lawn and the main academic hub of the campus.

For nearly a century, St. John’s has been one of the largest educators of healthcare personnel in the New York metropolitan area. The center is home to hundreds of students in the university’s Nursing, Radiologic Sciences, and Physician Assistant programs each year.

“The opening of the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center represents our unwavering commitment to providing our students with the best possible resources and facilities,” said Rev. Brian Shanley, president of St. John’s University. “It is a testament to St. John’s dedication to advancing our elevating mission of knowledge, service, and innovation.”