North Carolina Construction News staff writer
Wake Technical Community College has reached a major construction milestone with the topping out of its Perry Family Simulation Hospital, a project aimed at expanding hands-on health-care training capacity in the region.
A ceremony was held Thursday at the Perry Health Sciences Campus to mark the placement of the final structural beam on the three-storey, 106,000-sq.-ft. facility, which will be among the largest simulation hospitals in the United States once complete.
General contractor Brasfield & Gorrie is building the project, which was designed by BSA LifeStructures.
“We’ve placed the final structural beam on what will soon be one of the largest simulation hospitals in the country,” Brasfield & Gorrie said in a social media post. “This milestone moves Wake Tech closer to expanding hands-on healthcare education and preparing the next generation of professionals.”
Wake Tech president Scott Ralls said the project represents a significant investment in workforce development.
“The Perry Family Simulation Hospital represents a transformative investment in the future of health care education and workforce development,” he said. “This milestone brings us one step closer to providing students with an unparalleled, hands-on learning environment that mirrors real-world clinical settings.”
The facility is designed to replicate a full hospital environment, including patient check-in, emergency and operating rooms, imaging and diagnostic labs, a nursing centre and patient rooms. Additional features include specialized labs for neurodiagnostic technology and respiratory therapy, an anatomy room and a simulation apartment.
Once complete, the building will support expanded training for programs such as nursing, respiratory therapy, radiography, CT and MRI imaging, medical assisting and neurodiagnostic technology.
“This facility will prepare students in a true interdisciplinary setting,” said Nicole Reaves. “Not only will they learn skills in their respective fields, but also how to collaborate across specialties.”
The project is part of a broader expansion of the Perry Health Sciences Campus, funded through $126 million from a 2022 voter-approved bond. The development also includes infrastructure upgrades, road improvements and a four-level parking deck.
The initiative is being delivered through the Wake III Partnership, a collaboration between Wake Tech, Wake County and WakeMed, in coordination with the City of Raleigh to establish a Health and Education District.
Geoff Smith, senior project manager with Brasfield & Gorrie, said the milestone reflects the efforts of project crews and partners.
“This milestone represents more than progress on a construction project; it’s a meaningful step forward for Wake Tech and the broader health-care community,” he said.
The Perry Family Simulation Hospital is scheduled to open in fall 2027.