Founded in 1881, Tuskegee University is an independent, state-related institution in Tuskegee, Alabama, serving a diverse student body. The University is a leader in biomedical research, particularly in addressing health disparities among African Americans in the Southeastern U.S. Located in Alabama’s Black Belt, it has a long-standing commitment to improving health outcomes through education, research, and community service. Since its founding by Booker T. Washington, Tuskegee has become distinguished for its contributions to science and healthcare, producing many African American veterinarians, engineers, and PhD graduates.

To further this mission, Tuskegee is constructing an 8,600 sq. ft. cancer research and educational facility – the Center for Genomics and Health Disparity Research (CGHDR) – as an annex to the historic Carver Research Building. Tuskegee is leveraging $14 million in Federal New Markets Tax Credit financing to support construction, with Hope Enterprise Corporation providing $7 million of New Markets Tax Credit allocation.

The new Center will enable researchers to address health disparities through genomics and computational biology. The facility will expand the number of Tuskegee research faculty, students, and post-doctoral fellows engaged in health disparities and biomedical research, focusing on diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease that disproportionately affect minority populations in Alabama's Black Belt. It will also bolster ongoing research in TU's Colleges of Agriculture, Engineering, and Veterinary Medicine, addressing the unique health concerns of the region’s minority populations. By combining cutting-edge research capabilities with educational outreach and community programs, the CGHDR will train a diverse next generation of biomedical researchers while developing targeted treatments and prevention strategies for underserved communities.

Services Provided by Classic Lake:

• New Markets Tax Credit CDE Advisory

Community and Economic Impacts

• Creates 250 construction jobs

• Creates 23 new permanent full-time jobs

• Serves over 85 individuals annually

• Educates approximately 50 student trainees annually