© Contributed photo The North Campus of Salem State University.

Salem State University will be able to update its facilities for students preparing for health and STEM careers through an $84 million building plan that recently earned crucial state funding.

Set to break ground in fall 2024, the sweeping project will equip Salem State with cutting-edge science labs to replace existing outmoded ones, while also meeting a longstanding consolidation goal that includes closing its South Campus on Loring Avenue.

“We are looking forward to delivering these state-of-the-art facilities and an enhanced campus experience to our students,” said university spokeswoman Nicole Giambusso.

The project, SSU BOLD, calls for the sale of the 23-acre South Campus and renovation of the now-vacant Horace Mann building on the North Campus to house the health-related and criminal justice programs now at South Campus, including new labs for nursing and occupational therapy.

An addition also would be constructed to Meier Hall on North Campus to house seven modernized, high-intensity teaching labs — primarily for biology and chemistry students — replacing outmoded space in the building.

Giambusso said the updated labs at the two buildings will enable Salem State to better prepare students for the lab environments they would encounter working in STEM and health careers, while also allowing for expansion of graduate-level offerings in those fields.

The state recently awarded the project $30 million as part of $150 million it is investing to renovate and expand facilities at public colleges and universities, with a particular goal of boosting student preparation for STEM jobs.

With its new funding, Salem State can now proceed with SSU BOLD, with other costs to be covered through proceeds from the South Campus sale, grants, university cash, and possibly debt, according to Giambusso.

In an interview, Salem State President John D. Keenan called the project “transformational” for the 7,000-student campus, noting that updating its science labs has long been a university priority.

“We teach more science and heath-related classes than any other state university in Massachusetts, but we are the only one that does not have updated labs,” he said.

Noting that nursing “has always been one of our highest demand programs,” Keenan said modernizing labs for those students — particularly the simulation labs in which they hone their skills — will increase the program’s capacity, allowing the university to enroll more nursing students.

Keenan, a board member of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, said he often hears from hospital and biotech industry executives about the shortage of skilled workers to fill jobs in those fields. ”I am absolutely convinced there is a need for this additional programming in the region,” he said.

Giambusso said the university decided to close South Campus because its facilities are outdated. She said the campus consolidation also will lower the university’s operating costs and eliminate the need to spend $56 million on deferred maintenance at South Campus.

Selling South Campus, she said, “allows Salem State to unify our campus,” expanding student access to programs and resources and spurring more interdisciplinary collaboration.

The state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance is overseeing the planned sale.

The Horace Mann building, previously used by Salem as a public school, has been vacant since the city relocated the school to another site in 2017. Officials anticipate a full renovation will be needed to prepare the 120-year-old building for its new use.

The existing 160,300-square-foot Meier Hall will be enlarged with a 16,730-square-foot addition. The expansion will free up space in the Lafayette Street building for courses requiring less specialized spaces.

Giambusso said Salem State, which like many other campuses has seen an enrollment decline in recent years, believes the improvements will lead to an increase in students.

The university this summer will begin working with the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to select a project designer. Construction is targeted for completion in 2026.

John Laidler can be reached at laidler@globe.com.