PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) has finalized the purchase of the Woolworth Building at 1621 SW First Avenue in Portland. The 182,000-square-foot property will become the university’s new campus, positioning NUNM for long-term stability and growth. The building is owned outright, free of debt.
The acquisition follows the sale of NUNM’s current campus in 2022, followed by a lease-back of the current space while the university explored long-term options. After a comprehensive search, the university identified the Woolworth Building as the best location to support modern academic, research, and clinical operations. The new campus will eventually bring all NUNM programs, health centers, and services under one roof, improving efficiency and strengthening collaboration across disciplines.
“This acquisition represents far more than a new address for NUNM,” said NUNM President Dr. Melanie Henriksen. “As healthcare systems grapple with rising costs and fragmented care, the need for whole-person practitioners has never been greater. This new campus strengthens our ability to educate clinicians who promote long-term wellness through integrative, relationship-centered care. This home will bring our people and our purpose together in one space where learning and collaboration can truly thrive.”
Phased Relocation Beginning Mid-2026
NUNM will relocate its academic programs and administrative offices first, with the transition expected to begin during the spring term. The Health Center, teaching kitchen, and Helfgott Research facility will move later based on construction schedules and available funding. Clinical services will continue uninterrupted at the current NUNM Health Center during this period.
Phase 2 Vision
Phase 2 will require philanthropic and capital support. Planned features include:
- A purpose-built integrative Health Center
- A state-of-the-art Community Teaching Kitchen for nutrition, culinary medicine, and NUNM’s Food As Medicine Everyday community program
- A clinical simulation center for enhanced physician training
- Space that positions the Helfgott Research Institute for expanded research capacity and innovation
“Given the growing strain on our healthcare system, this investment comes at exactly the right time,” said Dr. Leah Hollon, Chair of the NUNM Board of Directors. “As NUNM approaches its 70th anniversary, this leading-edge campus represents a promise to our future. It gives us the room to grow, the stability to flourish, and the environment our students and faculty deserve. Most of all, it ensures that the kind of compassionate, whole-person care our graduates provide will continue to reach the communities that rely on it.”
The National University of Natural Medicine, founded in 1956, is the longest-standing accredited naturopathic medical school in North America. Located in Portland, Oregon, NUNM offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in naturopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, nutrition, integrative health sciences, and research. The university is also home to NUNM Health Centers, a teaching clinic that provides accessible, patient-centered integrative primary care to the Portland community. Learn more at nunm.edu and nunmhealthcenters.com
SOURCE National University of Natural Medicine
