As the frame of the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences’ new building began to rise during the fall semester, faculty, staff and students watched with anticipation. In November, the building reached a milestone as the highest piece of steel was placed during a traditional topping ceremony.

It was the second of two such events during the fall. Crews working on the neighboring Rees-Jones Hall by Mary Couts Burnett Library observed their own topping a month earlier. (See more on the construction boom on page 13.)

The 36,500-square-foot addition to the Annie Richardson Bass Building, which began in March 2013 and opens in May, will house new classrooms, faculty offices and enhanced technology for Harris, all in a LEED Silver-certified facility.

Upon completion, the college will move into the new space and vacate sections of Bass, which will undergo its own makeover from summer 2014 to January 2015. Eventually, the 52,000-square-foot Bass will connect with the addition for a modern health sciences complex.