Demolition of a building on the Mercy College of Health Sciences campus is nearly complete, clearing space for the new Joyce Lillis School of Nursing.

The college announced in February 2025 a campaign to raise $15 million for the project with the goal of making the college “the school of choice” for people pursuing a career in medicine.

As Mercy nears that $15 million goal, it has begun preparing the site for construction, including the demolition of the 12,000-square-foot building, called Building 2, along Seventh Street just south of Interstate 235. The building has sat vacant since 2018 when it was deemed unfit for classes.

The new 24,000-square-foot building will be named after Joyce Lillis, who spent nearly 40 years as a nurse, most of them in the MercyOne system. Lillis and her husband, Terry, contributed $2.5 million to the project, saying it was an easy decision to make because it’s important to get more nurses trained to fill the shortage in the state.

Here is an update on the timeline for the project:

• Demolition underway with completion expected in March 2026.                                   
• Footings poured: Spring 2026.     
• Tentative groundbreaking: April 24, 2026.                    
• Grounds and landscaping work complete: November 2026.       
• Interior complete: December 2026.
• Final completion: Spring 2027.