University Hospitals Building $68M Pathology Lab in Highland Hills

New state-of-the-art facility will house over 300 caregivers and consolidate pathology services across the region.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:07pm

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University Hospitals is investing $68.4 million to transform a vacant 127,680-square-foot building in Highland Hills into a world-class pathology laboratory. The new facility is expected to open in 2027 and will allow UH to better serve patients by consolidating most of its pathology services, which are currently spread across multiple outdated facilities. The Port of Cleveland Board of Directors voted to issue up to $60 million in bonds to support the project, which will bring high-quality healthcare jobs to the area.

Why it matters

This investment in a new, modern pathology lab aligns with University Hospitals' goal of strengthening its healthcare services and opportunities for growth in the region. It will allow UH to centralize and modernize its pathology operations, which are critical for providing diagnostic information to patients and clinicians.

The details

Construction is underway to convert the former UH Customer Service Center into the new pathology lab, which will house more than 300 caregivers and operate 24/7. Once complete, UH will sell the building to Orangestar Medical, a company that specializes in designing and constructing advanced laboratories, and then lease the facility back with an option to buy it in the future. The new lab will be located about 8 miles from UH's main campus in University Circle and less than 3 miles from UH Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood.

  • Construction on the new pathology lab began in 2026.
  • The facility is expected to open in 2027.

The players

University Hospitals

A nonprofit academic medical center and health system based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Tom Snowberger

Chief Administrative Officer at University Hospitals.

Christine Schmotzer

Executive Vice Chair of Pathology at University Hospitals.

Port of Cleveland Board of Directors

The governing body of the Port of Cleveland, which voted to issue up to $60 million in bonds to support the pathology lab project.

Orangestar Medical

A company that specializes in designing and constructing advanced laboratories.

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What they’re saying

“This new, modern facility will allow us to better serve patients. It's an investment in quality that will further strengthen our opportunities for growth.”

— Tom Snowberger, Chief Administrative Officer (cleveland.com)

“This larger, unified space will help us modernize the delivery of pathology services for UH patients in Northeast Ohio. Additionally, it will aid in retaining and recruiting outstanding pathologists and skilled pathology and laboratory technical staff. It's truly an investment in the future of pathology and laboratory medicine.”

— Christine Schmotzer, Executive Vice Chair of Pathology (cleveland.com)

What’s next

The new pathology lab is expected to open in 2027 after the completion of construction.

The takeaway

University Hospitals' investment in a state-of-the-art pathology lab in Highland Hills demonstrates the health system's commitment to modernizing and centralizing its diagnostic services to better serve patients in Northeast Ohio. This project will also bring high-quality healthcare jobs to the area and support the village's goal of attracting new tenants and enhancing its gateway corridors.