The Washington University School of Medicine recently purchased eight acres of property, including a large office building, in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood at a total cost of $6.1 million.

According to Joni Westerhouse, associate vice chancellor and associate dean for medical public affairs, the property will house business offices that do not need to be located on the medical school campus. Westerhouse believes the purchase is worth the price.

“The property is part of a 10-year plan for faculty [and] staff growth,” Westerhouse wrote in a statement to Student Life. “The goal of the expansion is [to provide] needed growing room.”

While the purchase is currently slated to supply office space, Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Jill Friedman says these plans are still preliminary.

“The planning for the site redevelopment is in the conceptual phase,” Friedman said.

In addition to providing space for the medical school to expand, Westerhouse hopes the space will contribute to the development of the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood.

“We believe this property purchase enhances our commitment to the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood and supports neighborhood redevelopment efforts,” Westerhouse wrote.

Friedman says that the land was also purchased because of its proximity to the School of Medicine.

“It’s in a prime location, and there are many ways we can leverage that to support the medical school and our medical research,” Friedman said.