Crews erected a 190-foot crane for the University of Oregon’s Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact this week. The crane towers over a job site nearly prepared for the first concrete activities along the north side of Franklin Boulevard between Onyx Street and Riverfront Parkway.

Construction is progressing on schedule. Researchers and students are scheduled to move into the 160,000-square-foot first phase in 2020.

The $1 billion initiative is focused on dramatically accelerating the process of turning scientific discoveries into societal benefits. Launched in 2016, the effort to rethink research, science education and innovation is made possible by a $500 million lead gift from Penny and Phil Knight and augmented with $70 million in state bonds. Phil Knight earned a business degree at the UO in 1959.

Follow construction progress via a webcam.