ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — The University of California, Irvine, has received a $30 million donation that will help the school add to its growing list of medical facilities.
The money, donated by the Falling Leaves Foundation, will go toward a medical innovation building expected to span about 200,000 square feet.
The foundation was first started by Professor Robert A. Mah and Dr. Adeline Yen Mah in 2007. Adeline is the New York Times best-selling author of the memoirs “Falling Leaves” and “Chinese Cinderella.”
The building will be located along Michael Drake Drive along with other already funded projects in the health sciences district. The massive project could eventually surpass a total cost of $1 billion as the university seeks to become a leader in medical care and research.
The Falling Leaves building will focus on research.
“This exceptional gift recognizes UCI’s preeminence in conducting basic, translational and clinical research dedicated to the discovery of new medical and scientific knowledge,” said Chancellor Howard Gillman. “The Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building will be a vital resource for exploring new frontiers and improving the lives of people in our community and beyond.”
The new facility, once built, will be home to an array of laboratories that will add high-paying jobs to the area and draw top faculty.
The building joins the nearly completed Henry & Susan Samueli College of Health Sciences facility. That building is more than 108,000 square feet.