Dear Members of the Bellarmine Community,
I am delighted and grateful to announce today that Bellarmine University is acquiring the Watterson Medical Center, an 80,000 square foot health care facility, 7.33 acres of land, and 388 parking spaces valued at 11 million dollars. The location is a little over a mile from campus at 3430 Newburg Road, adjacent to our new fields.
This historic purchase is an investment that will produce a seven percent annual return to the endowment. It was made possible through a 5 million-dollar anonymous gift, which is the largest outright gift to the university and was specifically intended for the purchase of this land and facility. The Watterson Medical Center presents great opportunities for Bellarmine including the ability to enhance current academic programs and to expand student internships, service learning, and community service opportunities within the College of Health Professions. The timing of the gift and the purchase of this property align with the University’s strategic planning process which enables the university to dream creatively to chart an exciting future of Bellarmine University in the next five to seven years and thereafter.
Engagement in the Louisville community, providing excellent academic programs, and responding to the needs of society speak to the institution's founding and the character of this great university. Being a good neighbor to those in need is fundamental to the Bellarmine mission and seizing this opportunity offers unlimited possibilities for our programs in physical therapy, nursing, health services, exercise science and athletic training, to name just a few examples.
We look forward to partnering with the many human services agencies that lease and occupy the current facility including the Veteran’s Administration, Frazier Rehab, and U.S. HealthWorks (occupational medicine). The revenue provided through the leases will support both the university operating budget and the endowment.
Here is a link to the press release that will be issued later today, including a map and a photograph of the property: https://www.bellarmine.edu/news/news-item/2018/03/28/bellarmine-buying-medical-center/.
Bellarmine is deeply grateful for the generous gift that makes this historic acquisition possible, and we look forward to the countless opportunities it will provide for our students and our faculty.
In Veritatis Amore,
Susan M. Donovan, Ph.D.
President