The Arizona Board of Regents unanimously approved yesterday three new research construction projects that will cost more than $170 million when coupled with improvements that would connect them to campus.

Regents also authorized the university to spend more than $250,000 to buy each of three properties lying on areas those buildings will occupy, and to use eminent domain to take over that land if tenants don't want to move.

The move paves the way for construction to begin on the Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Drachman Hall and an expansion to the Chemistry building. Combined, the three projects will add more than 360,000 square feet of research and classroom space.

"These are very unique facilities," said Joel Valdez, senior vice president for business affairs. "We're ready to start rolling."

Regents also approved spending more than $30 million to connect steam, electric, sewer, telecommunications and other utilities from campus to the IBSB building, Drachman Hall, and another medical research building that will be constructed in the future. All those buildings will be located north of East Speedway Boulevard, near the Arizona Health Sciences Center.

The IBSB building will house researchers looking to collaborate in finding new ways to fight diseases.

"We are embarking on a brand new type of science," Valdez said.

Drachman Hall will contain space for the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, as well as classroom space for the colleges of nursing and pharmacy. The Chemistry expansion will house lab space and faculty offices.

Before UA can begin construction on these buildings, though, it must purchase three properties currently occupied by residences.

That's why regents approved spending more than $250,000 to buy them and why they voted to allow UA to exercise eminent domain to raze those structures if owners refuse to sell them.

"Without acquiring these properties, the IBSB will not be able to come to fruition, and not be able to be started on time," said Regent Gary Stuart.

Valdez told regents UA has only used eminent domain twice in 12 years.

Regents also agreed to offer free tuition to children of Arizona residents killed in battle. Three Arizona residents have been killed during the conflict in Iraq, and all have left behind families that would be eligible for the benefit, said ASU President Michael Crow.

The move came in response to an order from Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano, a voting regent who attended a portion of yesterday's meeting, that state agencies should work to make life easier for families of servicemen and women killed in war.

"It is a profoundly important matter," Stuart said.

The universities anticipate little difficulty in implementing the policy, which is logistically simple and will impact very few people.

"We see no difficulty in moving forward with this," Crow said.

The board also voted to extend a $1 per semester student fee to pay for operating KAMP Student Radio. The fee, which will run through May 2008, makes up a majority of KAMP's funding, and its managers had feared the station would die if the fee hadn't passed.

In a March student referendum, the fee passed by nearly a 3-1 margin.

"I'm glad that all the hard work paid off," said KAMP general manager Brian Van Buren. "We've got five more years until we have to do this again."

Napolitano spent about an hour at yesterday's meeting. Of the three board meetings that have occurred during her term, it was the second she attended.

The governor, who has won the support of many in Arizona's higher education community for pushing to protect the universities from budget cuts, participated in a discussion updating the budget crisis, and also discussed the tuition issue.

"We don't have to suffer a $45 million cut," Napolitano said. "We can get through this without it."