The development of Morgan State University’s future College of Osteopathic Medicine is moving forward.

University President David Wilson’s proposed the facility’s construction during a State of Maryland Board of Public Works meeting on June 8.

The new college will be placed where the current Montebello Complex sits. The historic complex will be demolished and razed to create space for the facility.

Wilson explained that this process of demolition could cost between $4 to 8 million dollars. If the ground lease is approved, the Board of Regents will be responsible for this amount.

“The expectation is that we’ll bring the ground lease to the Board of Regents to be approved at the August board meeting this year,” he said.

An application for the acquisition of a ground lease has been submitted to the Board of Public Works and is expected to be considered within the coming weeks.

According to Wilson, the medical school should be finished “around 2026 or so.” However, the university will accept its first class of medical students in fall 2024.

“They [contractors] will build a free-standing facility that will actually house the faculty, the students, and staff of the proposed college,” said Wilson.

Although the college will accept students before the physical medical facility is built, students pursuing degrees in osteopathic medicine will complete classes in other facilities on campus.

Osteopathic medical practitioners focus on treatment of the entire body, unlike typical allelopathic doctors, who target specific symptoms, according to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM).

Morgan’s future osteopathic students will learn how to properly evaluate injury and diagnose disease with a holistic approach.

“We have put in place nearly 35 new academic degree programs at the university, we have increased the research profile of Morgan, our students are performing on the world stage with the best of them and winning,” Wilson said.

This is only one step in a large plan to expand the infrastructure of Morgan. The announcement comes after the Baltimore City Board of Estimates approved Morgan State University’s purchase of the Lake Clifton property, which is set to house research buildings for the university, among other amenities.