HCC cuts ribbon on health sciences tower in Texas Med Center
Joined by prominent medical professionals and elective office holders, Houston Community College officials cut the ribbon Monday, October 15, on the new 10-story HCC Coleman College Health Sciences Tower in the heart of the Texas Medical Center.
The tower includes floors that simulate hospitals and cutting-edge training facilities for more than 20 health-related fields. The $68 million tower is now the centerpiece of the HCC Health Sciences program, the only community college program of its kind in the medical center.
State Representative Garnet Coleman, the son of the late Dr. John Coleman for whom Coleman College is named, and numerous other members of the Coleman family were on hand for the ribbon cutting. Representative Coleman said that “practicing medicine came first for his father” and through Coleman College his father’s legacy continues. The college is the only facility in the medical center to bear the name of an African American.
“This new Coleman Tower is equipped with 21st century tools to keep up with the changing technology and needs of the healthcare industry and community,” said HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado. “It stands as a monument to HCC’s commitment to provide the best health-related education possible to our students.”
The state-of-the-art building received a 2018 Landmark Award in the category of Educational Facility from the Houston Business Journal. Entries for the Landmark competition were judged on their impact on Houston, including job creation, innovation, amenities and being environmentally friendly.
“What sets this building apart is the true hospital experience it affords our students,” said Dr. Philip Nicotera, president of HCC Coleman College. “Students will work with the very same equipment they will use in medical facilities once they enter the workplace.”
The project, part of a capital improvements bond issue approved by voters in 2013, will take HCC’s rigorous health-related programs to an even higher level. “This facility means new opportunities for student success and growth,” said Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, chair of the HCC Board of Trustees.
For more information on the HCC Health Sciences Center of Excellence, click here.