Construction firm Robins & Morton and Thornton Construction joined Florida International University and Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (FIU Medicine) on May 27 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new $158 million Helen and Jacob Shaham Academic Medical Center.
The seven-story, 163,000-square-foot facility, slated to open in 2028, will feature academic learning spaces and outpatient multi-specialty services, including same-day surgery and diagnostic imaging. These services will make it easier for the community to access high-quality outpatient care while helping train the next generation of physicians at a time when the U.S. faces a growing doctor shortage.
FIU Medicine is partnering with Baptist Health South Florida, which will be the care provider and will manage the center’s operations.
The center will anchor FIU’s growing clinical enterprise, integrating education, research and patient care to establish a premier hub for academic medicine in South Florida.
“The Helen and Jacob Shaham Academic Medical Center represents the kind of visionary investment that elevates an entire community,” Robins & Morton Operations Manager Johnathan Peavy said. “This project will not only expand access to care, it will strengthen the pipeline of future physicians and support the long‑term health of our South Florida community. We’re proud to help build a facility that will serve as a hub for education, research, and compassionate care for generations to come.”
Robins & Morton and Thornton Construction are partnering in a joint venture as the general contractor for the project. Stantec is the architect.