The Washington Street property is an important component of the medical school’s new site, which is strategically positioned at the corner of High and Main streets, in the center of the region’s emerging biosciences corridor.

Research centers, hospitals, incubators nurturing new bioscience start-up companies and other key life sciences partners will surround the new medical school.

The relocation project is a major component of the UB 2020 strategic plan.

“The acquisition of this land is a timely and important next step as we move forward with this critical next phase of UB 2020,” says UB President Satish K. Tripathi.

In addition to the recently purchased lot, UB hopes to obtain two nearby properties for the new medical school.

University officials also are in discussions with the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority about the possibility of incorporating the Main-Allen transit station into the new facility.

The Washington Street land purchase, executed by UB Foundation Services, follows another important development in the relocation plan: the fall 2012 opening of the Clinical and Translational Research Center.

The state-of-the-art medical school and biomedical sciences center will be designed by HOK, a world-class architectural firm internationally known for health science facilities and sustainable design.

Ground will be broken in September 2013.