McCarthy Building Companies has been selected to lead the design-build team overseeing the design and construction of a new, 16-story inpatient hospital tower at Barnes-Jewish Hospital on Kingshighway in St. Louis.
In addition to McCarthy, design-build team members include CannonDesign (architecture), BR+A (consulting engineer), Thornton Tomasetti (structural engineering), Castle Contracting (civil engineering) and DTLS (landscape design).
The inpatient tower is a component of BJC’s Campus Renewal plan — a long-term vision to transform the Washington University Medical Campus (WUMC) through new construction and renovations with an overall focus on improving the patient and family experience at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
“We are thrilled to partner with BJC HealthCare in implementing an innovative design-build model to deliver a state-of-the-art facility for patient and family-centered care,” said Mike Stapf, vice president, design integration at McCarthy.
The innovative 660,000-SF tower will feature private rooms for heart and vascular patients, state-of-the-art imaging, and the latest in surgical preparation and recovery, designed to advance care and enhance the experience for patients and their families.
Plans include 224 private inpatient rooms (32 rooms on seven floors) and 56 private intensive care unit (ICU) rooms (28 rooms on two floors), many with expansive views of Forest Park. Two rooftop gardens will provide patients, families and staff with access to fresh air and respite, and a spacious family lounge will bring new amenities to the south end of the hospital campus, including a business center, kitchenette, quiet rooms and laundry facilities.
In addition, an expansive surgical prep and recovery program will occupy two floors and two additional floors will feature a modern imaging center. An expanded dietary program will streamline meal preparation for on-demand patient dining, and visitors, staff and physicians will enjoy a spacious and bright cafeteria.
Significant improvements along Barnes-Jewish Plaza also are designed to simplify and enhance arrival and wayfinding. A new elevated pedestrian walkway will lead from parking to a redesigned and expanded lobby, gift shop and coffee bar. A widened street and reconfigured drop off and valet space will offer a more intuitive and inviting entrance.
The new tower will replace Queeny Tower, an 16-story structure that housed inpatient rooms and physician practices, which was vacated in 2019 in anticipation of its demolition and replacement. McCarthy managed construction of the original building in the early 1960s and has completed more than 20 other construction projects on campus. Structural demolition of Queeny Tower was completed in September 2021.
The new tower construction will begin fall 2021 and is estimated to be complete in December 2024. The building will open for patient care in Q4 2025.