Hospitals and healthcare systems are stepping up to manage difficult choices. COVID funds have expired, staff are difficult to find and expensive to hire, and reimbursements aren’t keeping up with inflation. For those who are planning new and renovated healthcare spaces, the focus is on becoming more labor- and cost-efficient, benefiting from technology-driven ways of delivering healthcare while not losing the personal, human touch.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is constructing a $1.9 billion inpatient tower in Columbus. Designed by HDR, the 26-story building will integrate exceptional environments for patient care with leading-edge facilities for research, medical education, and training. The 1.9 million-sf development will provide 820 private rooms equipped with sophisticated telehealth technologies and entertainment systems, with ample space for visiting family members.
RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey opened the $1 billion Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center in May of 2025 in New Brunswick. Designed by HOK, the 520,000-sf building collocates world-class research environments with welcoming settings for clinical care to optimize patient outcomes.
Yale New Haven Hospital is constructing the Adams Neurosciences Center on its Saint Raphael Campus in New Haven. Integrating research, clinical care, and medical education, the $838 million facility was designed by Shepley Bulfinch to set a new benchmark for neurological care in Connecticut. The two-tower, 505,000-sf complex will feature translational research laboratories for the creation of new therapies for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and strokes.
University of Iowa Health Care opened the North Liberty campus in April of 2025 to improve patient access to world-class care and advance medical research and education. Designed by Neumann Monson Architects to offer a full range of musculoskeletal services, the 469,050-sf development accommodates the UI Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and UI Sports Medicine.
Kaiser Permanente broke ground on the Railyards Medical Center in March of 2025 in Sacramento, Calif. Designed by SmithGroup, the 18-acre greenfield campus will act as a beacon for health and wellness that integrates premier amenities with the latest technologies. An eight-story, 662,000-sf hospital will anchor the complex and offer 310 beds, with 48 for intensive care. The structure will also provide 14 operating rooms, 70 emergency treatment bays, and a 38-bed birthing center with an eight-bed neonatal intensive care unit.
Houston Methodist opened the $650 million Cypress Hospital campus in March of 2025. This vibrant medical destination was designed by Page to enhance health care access and features advanced technologies to maximize innovation. Offering nine imaging modalities, the seven-story, 570,000-sf facility provides 100 licensed beds, nine operating rooms, a critical care center, an emergency department, and a birthing center.
Plenary Health is partnering with Western Health and the Government of Victoria to construct a 1.6 million-gsf hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Designed by COX and Billard Leece Partnership, the world-class medical center will replace the existing Footscray Hospital, addressing increased regional demand and optimizing patient outcomes.
Cleveland Clinic is constructing the $1.1 billion Neurological Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. The 1.2 million-sf translational research facility will consolidate 15 separate centers to catalyze interdisciplinary synergies and improve patient outcomes. Spanning fourteen stories, the state-of-the-art hospital will offer a comprehensive array of services such as neuro-simulation training, infusion therapy, neurodiagnostics, brain mapping suites, imaging, and digitized patient evaluations.
Lee Health broke ground in January of 2025 on a 416,000-sf acute care facility in Fort Myers that will replace Lee Memorial. Representing an investment of approximately $434 million, the five-story, 168-bed hospital will accommodate 10 inpatient operating rooms, a 44-bed emergency room, and 24 intensive care unit beds. Patient rooms will integrate the latest smart technology for connected care to optimize scheduling, clinical support, and personalized interventions.
Sutter Health will establish a 12-acre medical campus in Emeryville as part of a $1 billion investment to enhance the delivery of integrated care throughout the East Bay region. The 1.3 million-sf project includes the adaptive reuse of BioMed Realty’s Emery Yards development to create a 530,000-sf outpatient complex spanning two existing structures.
University of Chicago Medicine is constructing the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion to catalyze high-impact research programs and reimagine the spectrum of patient care. CannonDesign is partnering with Yazdani Studio and Blue Cottage on the $815 million project, which will be the first freestanding structure in Illinois dedicated solely to cancer treatment and research. Teams of clinicians, investigators, and physician-scientists will come together to optimize patient outcomes.
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is constructing a 513,000-sf addition to its existing hospital on the Marquam Hill campus in Portland. Designed by NBBJ to enhance the patient experience, the 14-story tower will offer 128 new inpatient beds to meet a pressing need for healthcare capacity in Oregon since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Inpatient Addition (IPA) will predominantly provide surgical oncology and cellular therapy services, and will connect to the main hospital and the Kohler Pavilion via three sky bridges.
Children’s Health and UT Southwestern Medical Center broke ground in October of 2024 on a $5 billion pediatric health campus in Dallas. Designed by Perkins&Will, HKS, and GSR Andrade Architects, the project will encompass more than 4.7 million sf of construction, including a new hospital as its centerpiece. The 552-bed structure will significantly expand inpatient, surgical, and ambulatory capacity with two 12-story towers and one eight-story tower.
Geisinger Health System is meeting an increased demand for surgical procedures by partnering with Opmed.ai to unlock the full potential of its operating rooms. Headquartered in Danville, Pa., Geisinger serves over a million people across the state with ten hospital campuses. Representing a pivotal step for the integration of leading-edge AI technologies into medical operations and care, Opmed.ai announced the successful first results of the implementation of its advanced OR management platform in October of 2024.
