Healthcare

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has announced that it will spend $4.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 to modernize, repair, and improve health care facilities as part of the Veterans Health Administration’s Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM) program. Supporting one-time infrastructure projects that are not part of routine, recurring activities, the NRM enables significant maintenance, replacements, or upgrades that are needed to ensure operational capability and advance the delivery of safe and effective patient care.

Sutter Health broke ground in January of 2026 on the Advanced Cancer Center and Care Complex in Modesto, Calif. Designed by HGA, the approximately $380 million project is part of a strategic multiyear commitment to increase the availability of innovative, high-quality services in the Central Valley. The four-story, 165,000-sf facility is being created in collaboration with Gould Medical Group and will offer both outpatient and specialty care in a single integrated location on the Memorial Medical Center campus. 
 

ThedaCare opened a leading-edge health campus in January of 2025 in Oshkosh. Designed by HGA, the $84 million medical center will ensure seamless access to comprehensive care for patients in northeast and central Wisconsin. The 114,000-sf facility houses inpatient beds, a 24/7 emergency department, and an ambulatory surgery center. 

UCI Health opened the nation’s first all-electric acute care hospital in December of 2025 in Irvine, Calif. Designed by CO Architects, the 350,000-sf facility offers specialties in cardiology, oncology, digestive health, neurology, orthopedics, and spine care. A garden-level ‘mega-floor’ spanning 56,000 sf unites 15 standard operating rooms, five interventional procedure rooms, four advanced multispecialty interventional suites, and 64 pre-op and recovery beds.

The University of New South Wales Sydney opened the Health Translation Hub in November of 2025 in Australia. Developed by Plenary Group, the AUD 600 million (USD 396.8 million) facility drives impactful medical discoveries to revolutionize patient care. Students at the clinical school benefit from an interdisciplinary ecosystem that directly connects future health professionals, researchers, and educators with industry partners and clinicians to foster knowledge exchange and immersive learning.

Arizona State University is planning to construct an innovation and education hub that will act as the headquarters for ASU Health in Phoenix. Designed by CO Architects and DFDG Architecture to drive multidisciplinary discovery, the 200,000-sf facility will house the School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering and the School of Technology for Public Health.

It’s no secret that many healthcare organizations are struggling to attract and keep enough staff to look after their patients. New space plans are offering solutions to the staffing challenge that increase healthcare worker satisfaction and success by making it easier for them to do their job. Not all staffing considerations are building-related, but there are many ways the building can work to help doctors, nurses, therapists, and aides do their jobs more effectively while maintaining their own physical and mental health. That balance is attractive to healthcare workers.

Versiti is engaged in a $79 million expansion of the Versiti Blood Research Institute (VBRI) at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus in Wauwatosa, Wis. Accommodating 125 researchers, the 79,000-sf addition will double research capacity to drive vital discoveries and create breakthrough therapies for patients with conditions such as blood disorders, immune diseases, and cancer. The four-story structure will provide ten laboratory suites, support environments, and core labs that integrate advanced instrumentation. 

The University of Virginia is constructing the $350 million Paul and Diane Manning Institute for Biotechnology in Charlottesville to catalyze breakthroughs in the fields of cellular therapy, gene therapy, nanotechnology, and drug delivery. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects, the flexible building will provide 355,809 sf of space for leading-edge laboratories, core facilities, advanced manufacturing suites, and clinical environments.

City of Hope celebrated the opening of a $452 million specialty cancer facility in December of 2025 in Irvine, Calif. Designed by HOK, the 73-bed hospital accommodates intensive care and medical-surgical units, four operating rooms, two procedure rooms, and an eight-bed evaluation and treatment center. The six-story structure also accommodates an inpatient rehabilitation gym, an immersive multifaith spiritual zone, and outdoor terraces on each floor. 

University of Michigan Health opened a $920 million clinical inpatient tower in November of 2025 in Ann Arbor. Designed by HOK and Integrated Design Solutions, the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Health Care Pavilion delivers high-level specialty care services for neurology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, spine conditions, and cardiovascular medicine, as well as cardiac, vascular, and thoracic surgery.

Penn State Health opened a comprehensive cancer facility in October of 2025 at Hampden Medical Center in Enola. Designed by Flad Architects, the 40,250-sf building consolidates three West Shore locations to ensure the streamlined delivery of world-class care by a team of multidisciplinary specialists. The Penn State Health Cancer Center offers critical services including physician appointments, diagnostic imaging, infusion, medical oncology, radiation therapy, and mammary care. 

Three projects designed by Stantec were shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival, which convened in Miami in November of 2025. 

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso is constructing a $156 million comprehensive cancer hub and a $186 million clinical sciences building to ensure access to treatment throughout the West Texas region and enhance patient outcomes. The Steve and Nancy Fox Cancer Center is being created in partnership with University Medical Center of El Paso, and is supported by over $130 million in state funding and a $30 million county bond.

SAC Health opened the Brier Campus in September of 2025 in San Bernardino, Calif. Designed by Perkins&Will, the $85 million outpatient facility is expected to accommodate 300,000 patient visits over the next five years to address regional health disparities. The five-story structure provides comprehensive primary care and specialty services, including internal medicine, pediatrics, orthopedics, dentistry, family medicine, ophthalmology, and women’s health.