“CULTURE OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING”: The new Frist Health Center at Princeton University, more than twice the size of the University’s current health center, will feature serene spaces, access to nature, an emphasis on mental health facilities, and an attractive setting for a mix of academic, programmatic, and social activities. (Rendering by WRNS Studio)

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton University will be replacing its McCosh Health Center with a new facility more than twice as large. The new Frist Health Center, funded by a major gift from Dr. Thomas Frist Jr. and scheduled to open in 2025, will incorporate a renovated Eno Hall with a significant new addition to the south, according to a November 8 University announcement.

“This extraordinary gift from Tommy Frist has enabled us to reimagine the University health facility as a place of welcome that offers a comprehensive approach to student health and well-being,” said Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber, as quoted in a University press release.

He continued, “I am delighted that the Frist family’s legacy in health care innovation will now be reflected in the spectacular Frist Health Center. The University is deeply grateful to Tommy and the Frist family for their visionary partnership on this project and, when considered along with the Frist Campus Center, for their incalculable and enduring impact on our campus community.”

Thomas Frist Jr. received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University, not Princeton, but several family members have attended Princeton, including his brother Bill Frist, former U.S. Senate majority leader and a 1974 Princeton graduate; two sons; and three grandchildren.

The new health center will be located in the center of the campus at the intersection of Goheen Walk and Guyot Lane and across from the Frist Campus Center, a focal point for student social activities which was completed in 2001 with the help of a $25 million donation from the Frist family. An atrium between Eno Hall and the addition will be the new health center’s main lobby.

“Coming to Princeton was a life-changing experience for my brother Bill and various family members who have had wonderful experiences as students,” Frist said, as quoted by the University’s Office of Communications.

The University press release described the new Frist Health Center as “a centerpiece” of the University’s renewed commitment to well-being and a major step forward in helping the University to “advance a culture of health and well-being on the Priceton campus.”

The new facility will also be important in supporting the growing undergraduate population, with two new residential colleges completed in 2022 and undergraduate enrollment in the midst of expanding by 500 students over four years.

Frist stated that his primary goal with this gift was “to make the Princeton family healthier in mind, body and spirit,” as he hopes that “the Frist Health Center will be a stimulus for others to emulate as time goes on, creating a multiplier effect at various institutions throughout the world.”

Included in the four-story Frist Health Center will be medical services; health promotion and prevention services; counseling and psychological services; and the sexual harassment/assault advising, resources, and education (SHARE) office.

Noting that the new center is designed to be “healing in character,” University Health Services Director Janet Finnie pointed out that there will be “soothing colors that exist in nature for furnishings; lots of natural light; spaces with operable windows; ceiling fans in all offices; and exposed mass timber so there is visible wood in many spaces.”

Finnie added that the designers have tried to create exam rooms that feel residential and student-friendly rather than clinical and sterile. And there will be a “Winter Garden” that will provide exposure to greenery even in the winter months.

Finnie went on to point out that some advantages over the current facility that Frist Health Center visitors would enjoy would include single rooms with private baths for all patients (no more shared rooms); significantly more offices for therapists to meet with clients as the University expands its staff to support students’ mental health needs; a multipurpose space that fits 150 people in order to provide more health promotion and programming for students; a space for yoga and mindfulness activities; a “quiet room” suitable for breastfeeding by staff, faculty, or students; a student lounge for health-related student groups to gather; and double the current space for group therapy offerings.

The University emphasized how construction of the Frist Health Center will enhance sustainability ”by reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a geothermal heating and cooling system, minimizing water usage, enhancing stormwater management in the area, and cultivating healthy and resilient habits.” Noteworthy green features include mass-timber framing, green roofs, native plantings for stormwater retention, and a dedicated outdoor air system.

“The Frist Health Center will have an immediate and far-reaching impact on the Princeton experience by serving as a welcoming home for the proactive health and wellness programs that help our students flourish,” said W. Rochelle Calhoun, Princeton University vice president for campus life. “The thoughtful design of the facility promotes a positive health identity, with inviting spaces that are healing in character. The Frist Health Center is integrating the important work of getting well with the important work of being well.”