Bushnell University Expands Campus, Acquires Two Former PeaceHealth Buildings

Bushnell University has closed on the purchase of two substantial properties at 770 and 722 E. 11th Avenue in Eugene, marking a major expansion for the private institution and a reuse of medical office space in the former University District. The acquisitions, announced in local reporting and republished by Rosamond Press on November 12, 2025, give the university an additional 88,000 square feet in the building formerly known as the Behavioral Health Unit and 37,000 square feet in the former Center for Medical Education and Research.

The combination of the two properties adds about 125,000 square feet to Bushnell's footprint and directly supports growth of the College of Health Professions. University officials say the 770 E. 11th Avenue property includes multiple floors of medical office space. Bushnell plans to expand into the third and fourth floors, while PeaceHealth will continue operating on the first and second floors under a leaseback arrangement until its new facility is completed. The 722 E. 11th Avenue building will be used to expand nursing and lab sciences programs to meet student demand.

For Lane County residents the local impacts are tangible. Expanding academic space for health professions means more students training here, which can translate into a larger local pipeline of nurses, laboratory technicians, and behavioral health professionals. That matters in a region where recruitment and retention of health workers are persistent issues for hospitals and clinics. The leaseback arrangement also smooths the transition by keeping PeaceHealth services in the area while the provider moves to a new home, preserving continuity of care and jobs during construction.

The reuse of existing medical office buildings carries economic implications beyond workforce training. Converting these facilities to academic use limits vacancy in a neighborhood that experienced shifts after medical providers consolidated and relocated. An occupied building of 125,000 square feet supports secondary economic activity from students, faculty, and staff spending at nearby businesses, and it can relieve immediate pressure on the university to build new facilities from scratch. There will also be local fiscal effects as property ownership, utilities, and municipal services adjust to different user mixes.

Longer term, the expansion signals an institutional response to growing demand for health education. Increasing capacity in nursing and lab sciences can help address service gaps, especially if graduates remain in Lane County. It may also put pressure on the housing market if enrollment rises, with implications for student housing, rental availability, and local planning. Coordination between Bushnell, PeaceHealth, and city officials will influence how the gains for workforce development translate into broader community benefits.

Bushnell leaders framed the acquisition as a strategic step for program growth and regional need, and university officials point to the historical significance of expanding at the former University District location. As the buildings are refitted for classrooms and labs, the immediate priorities will be integrating clinical partnerships, scheduling the phased occupancy of floors, and managing the transition while PeaceHealth completes its relocation. The outcome will shape the availability of trained health professionals in Lane County for years to come.