Fort Worth, Texas,
01
April
2014
|
14:29 PM
America/Chicago

Cook Children’s to build new South Tower on main campus

The Cook Children’s Emergency Department (ED) consistently ranks as one of the busiest in the nation. The children who walk through the ED doors receive the highest level of care possible as part of a Level II Trauma Center.

However, the Cook Children’s Emergency Department was built to serve about half of the 120,000 patients seen each year. At the time of its completion nearly 20 years ago no one could have foreseen the rapid pediatric population growth that would take place in this community.

A comprehensive review of the medical center showed the need for a modernization project for the ED, Surgery Services, the new Heart Center, a Laboratory and a Sterile Processing Center. This venture is in response to the emerging needs of a growing population and will culminate with a newSouth Tower, built on Cook Children’s main campus in Fort Worth.

All areas will be updated to ensure a new contemporary look and feel, with a more efficient design and room for the latest in technology.

This is especially important in Surgery Services. The pediatric surgeons at Cook Children’s performed more than 27,000 procedures last year on children of all ages. The surgeons are specially trained to care for pediatric patients, but need specific technology to operate on the little patients at the medical center. The new modernization project will make this possible.

Work has begun on the main campus at Cook Children's.

In addition to the new South Tower, a new, permanent Urgent Care Center will be built on the corner of Rosedale Avenue and Sixth Avenue to further alleviate the wait times in the ED. A new South Utility Plant will also be built on campus to support the South Tower and future growth. The Prayer Garden and the Walk of Honor will be relocated to a new location.

But this modernization project can’t be fixed by knocking down walls or adding piecemeal additions.

This project for the new South Tower, the Utility Plant and renovation of the existing facility will cost $349 million. The South Tower will include 314,000 square feet.

Construction on the new facility begins in December 2013 and will be completed in the next three and a half years, with an additional year of internal renovation.

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