Memphis Bioworks Foundation recently celebrated the completion of the fourth phase of development on the UT-Baptist Research Park with the unveiling of a plaque in honor of Baptist Memorial Health Care. Baptist donated the land and property that once housed the Baptist Medical Center to the Memphis Bioworks Foundation in 2001.
The plaque hangs on one of the UT-Baptist Research Park buildings and celebrates the history of the facility. Opened in 1912, Baptist Medical Center grew to become the largest privately owned hospital in the world. The facility closed in 2000, as the growth of hospitals in smaller communities made it more challenging to maintain a 2,000-bed regional referral center.
“Over a century ago, Baptist Medical Center paved the way for medical advancement at the exact site that now serves as the center for bioscience innovation in Memphis,” said Steve Bares, Ph.D., executive director of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation. “Today, with this dedication we permanently honor Baptist Memorial Health Care’s commitment to medical excellence and pledge to continue the tradition of health care innovation throughout Bioworks’ UT-Baptist Research Park.”
Memphis Bioworks Foundation began working to raise money in the early 2000s to develop a world-class research park in the Memphis Medical Center. Federal, state, local and private funds were raised to clear the site, including the demolition of more than 1.3 million square feet of space. In total, more than $140 million has been invested in new construction and property renovation across the research park campus. Today there are 305,000 square feet of built and renovated space.