Construction begins on $60M facility to house Methodist University medical school in Fayetteville

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Methodist University broke ground Tuesday on its new medical school in Fayetteville.

The $60 million Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine facility is considered by school officials as a significant milestone in changing the future of healthcare in the Sandhills.

The head of the medical school said the facility will broaden career and higher learning options for young professionals in the region.

"What this medical school and its impact is going to do is create opportunities and reasons to stay here. But what's even more important is it's going to attract people from other regions who now want to move here," Dr. Hershey Bell said.

The 127,500-square-foot, 200-room building is going to have laboratories, classrooms, conference rooms and much more.

Officials hope the facility will be finished and welcoming students by the fall of 2026.

"This is (a) historic occasion, and I'm privileged to be a part of it," said Methodist University President Stanley T. Wearden. "This is a collective project, and it has a lot of people behind it who believe in it deeply. At Methodist University, we're committed to students and alumni's success in the context of a mission that values community service, which is why we have our various Health Sciences programs that will soon include the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley School of Medicine. But this is not about MU alone. Without our partnership with Cape Fear Valley Health, this could not happen."