The University of Dubuque has purchased a building in downtown Dubuque to serve as the home for its proposed medical school.

University officials announced in a press release this morning that the school acquired the three-story, 117,000-square-foot building at 500 Main St.

The acquisition follows the university’s announcement in December that it would seek approval to open John and Alice Butler College of Osteopathic Medicine, so named in honor of a $60 million donation from the couple for its development.

If approved, the school — which aims to enroll 800 students when fully operational — would be the first new medical school in Iowa in 125 years.

This morning’s press release notes that UD is pursuing the necessary accreditation through the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation and remains on track to open the medical school’s doors in the summer of 2028.

Preconstruction on the 500 Main St. building will begin next week, with renovations expected to start in September and wrap up by December of 2026.

According to the release, the newly acquired building also will serve as the future home of UD’s existing physician assistant master’s program, which is currently housed on the university’s main campus.