Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health, now a part of Charlotte-based Advocate Health, joined forces with Wexford Science and Technology to break ground on Wake Forest University School of Medicine Charlotte and the surrounding innovation district, known as "the Pearl."
The medical school is expected to seat its first class in 2024 and open in 2025. The innovation hub will feature research space, retail locations, corporate headquarters, apartments and open community space, according to a Jan. 17 Atrium news release.
Over the next 15 years, the Pearl is projected to create more than 5,500 on-site jobs.
"Not only will The Pearl serve as a major engine of economic opportunity, but it will also house game-changing academic programs for learners of all degree levels and set the stage for innovative health science businesses to grow into the core companies of Charlotte's future," Advocate Health CEO Eugene Woods said. "We are creating a 'city within a city,' where excellence lives and excellence is learned. And as we begin this new chapter on these storied grounds, we are deeply committed to partnering with the communities around it and honoring its rich history."